From the Streets of Cardiff
by Ffeona 'sarcasm-is-my-drug
Summary: AU - the team first meet Ianto Jones as a prostitute and from there on things take an interesting and sometimes heart-wretching turn of events including shocking discoveries about Ianto's mother. Over all Jack/Ianto pairing. Very full of Angst. Complete.
1. A Dark History

From the Streets of Cardiff

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, Underage, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: ?? Ianto Jones ?? (I do not even know who I am pairing him with. Either Jack or Owen – feel free o suggest someone!)

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter One – A Dark History

Ianto Jones was not afraid of the dark.

He had spent his childhood in the slums of the Cardiff Splott housing estate, often experiencing black outs due to the occasional summer storm or his mam forgetting to pay the bill. More often the latter than the former. So at a young age Ianto had learnt to cope with the darkness, but he hadn't liked it. His mam would come home from the pub to find her home in darkness and do one of three things. The first was Ianto's preferred action; she'd yell at him, asking him what he'd done and why she couldn't see in her own damn house. She'd curse the day he was born, claiming she could have been a rockstar (Ianto soon realised that the closest his mam had ever come to fame was a bit role in a seedy porn film when he'd been three) or married rich and become a lady of leisure (she'd dated a 'rich' guy once. He'd had plenty of cash but he'd been a crook – Ianto understood he had been sent to prison by his ex, a bitter woman who's trust fund he had stolen). The second option was when she cried. This was when she was just tipsy or sober and she realised that the electricity bill was her responsibility and she had failed – she would start saying what a bad mother she was and that she'd make it up to him, that she loved him and would be better in the future. Ianto had believed her a couple of times – until he realised it was empty promises said to assuage her guilty conscious. Option three was that she wouldn't even notice, she was too drunk and just ended up passed out on the floor, lying in a pool of her own puke. In the morning she'd clear up and act like it had never happened, she'd be his mam again yelling at him to get to school on time and kissing him goodbye on the forehead – but them memory of her passed out like that would remain with Ianto until his dying day, and no child should have to see his mother like that.

The happiest Ianto had ever seen his mother had been when she had been engaged to a fireman and he and his daughter who was a few years older than Ianto – who had been ten at the time – had moved in. For a while they had played happy families, Nesta (Ianto's mam) had bigged it up to all her friends at the school where she worked as a cleaner that she was dating a fireman, Ianto had had a playmate and a friend in Jeannie, and he had a 'positive male role model' in Cameron Lloyd, his soon-to-be-stepfather. But it hadn't lasted – one night just two weeks before the wedding day Cameron had snuck into Ianto's room during the night… Ianto's memories of that night were dulled by the pain of what happened next and by the human mind's wonderous ability to shut out information that could hurt us. In the morning Cameron had made him marmite toast and fresh orange juice – his favourite breakfast, and they had sat on the sofa like father and son watching the cartoons until Nesta had returned from her mam's in Bangor. Ianto couldn't remember where Jeannie had been that night – but he did remember his mam's face light up at the sight of him sitting on that sofa with Cameron. She even got out her camera. Never once that day did she question Cameron's excuse for the weird way he was walking (with bow legs and a limp) when he said he'd just been playing rough, 'like boys do'. She also didn't think to ask why all of a sudden Cameron wanted to do the clothes washing – or why he decided that Ianto's bed sheets – which had only just been changed the day before – were dirty and had to be washed. The next time this happened was on him mam's hen night. She was off with Clancy the school junior secretary and Flora the dinner lady at the school; at a dance club wasting this week's electricity bill money on watching a man strip for money. This time Cameron left visible bruises on Ianto's hips, obvious bruises. He had been so sure that Nesta wouldn't stop the wedding for anything that he had gotten stupid. The next morning Ianto had called child services and shown them the bruises. Unfortunately Cameron had used a condom this time so it had been impossible to prove he was at fault, especially with his fourteen year old daughter claiming he had spent the night watching old movies with her downstairs. But it had been enough to make Nesta call off the wedding (something she never quite forgave Ianto for) and for Ianto to be taken into child services for a few weeks while they convinced themselves that Nesta had been truly ignorant of the attacks on her son. That time was more than long enough for Ianto to never want to go back to the foster system again.

Now Ianto was fourteen and therefore no longer a child. He wasn't afraid of the dark, this time it meant time for him to work. To walk the Cardiff streets in hope that someone would come along looking for some fun, someone with a big wallet and a small dick hopefully. And no one impotent – it was the impotent ones you had to watch out for, they preferred to take their rage and frustration out on their tricks in the form of violence. And less than half of them paid the extra fifty it cost to hurt him.

His journey from abused drunkards son to street hustler was not a very interesting one. Mam kicked him out and he had no where to go, no one to turn to. He'd been wondering the streets and suddenly a car had driven slowly next to him and the voice of a middle aged man had called out to him, offering him twenty bucks if Ianto sucked him off. At the time Ianto hadn't even understood the meaning behind the words but afterwards he could claim no such innocence. Soon it was him going up to cars, whispering 'fifty for a fuck, tenner for a hand, twenty for a suck'.

His life was pretty dark, he had no one to live for and a luxury for him was a hot shower and a BLT sandwich.

That was – until the day Torchwood came into his life.

**TBC – but only if I get eight+ comments/reviews** with people wanting me to. It's not greed – but I don't have the time or energy to continue something if no one is really bothered. I have many fictions on the go – I love writing and I had to write this down but if no one wants more than I won't write any more.

Also: do you want it to stay really dark? Or do you want me to lighten up? As in the mood of the piece. I could go either.

Please, please comment people.


	2. Aliens

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Ianto/Jack eventually

AN/ This part is lighter, but throughout the series there will be dark patches a lighter patches like this one. Please comment!

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Two – Aliens

Aliens are real – but they don't pay the rent.

Ianto Jones isn't thick. Despite the fact he was forced to drop out of school aged fourteen after his mam kicked him out he isn't some dumb kid that can be taken for a ride – he had street smarts, and he knows aliens are real. You talk to any street walker or homeless person, they'll all tell you about aliens. Not that anyone even thinks to ask them.

It was late one October night, just a few days before Halloween (Ianto's worst business night of the year – too many kids on the streets for any clients to come out of hiding), and it was trying to rain. This was not impressing Ianto who wore only a pair of ripped jeans (not the fashionable kind, the honest I-torn-it-falling-on-the-street kind of ripped jeans) and they fit well, mostly because in the last few weeks Ianto had been eating well and while he was still as skinny as a rake (a very skinny rake) he had enough 'fat' on him to help him last the winter – whereas last winter he had passed out and been taken to hospital by some do-gooder – it had been horrible and social services had nearly gotten a hold of him. Other than the jeans he wore a small, tight, black t-shirt (it didn't have to be washed as much a white t-shirts and this saved money). But no jacket and only a pair of worn grey trainers that had a hole in the sole of the left foot so soon his feet would be soaked and frozen.

It was nights like these that made Ianto miss his mother's house, all the alcohol and the yelling. And then he came along.

Ianto guessed him to be about twenty-five, with short brown hair and dark eyes (of what colour Ianto couldn't see). The stranger was shorter by a few inches than Ianto – who was a lanky sixteen year old by any one's standards – and attractive enough to catch Ianto's attention because anyone that good looking shouldn't have to pay for it. But then again, he didn't look like he was on the prowl either. Still, Ianto was cold and desperate for some cash so he could go home so he called out to the guy "twenty for a handjob, fifty if you want me to blow you and one hundred and fifty if you want to fuck me. Anything else will cost you two hundred and I don't go without a condom."

The guy – wearing a leather jacket and a pair of jeans (in tact – no holes – except a bit of wear-and-tear) – turned to look at Ianto with an indescribable expression. Something that had both a look of pity and disgust with a pinch of disbelief, sorrow, and fear. The fear Ianto understood – many young men gave him that look, it was a look reserved for him by people who had almost been him, but for some reason or another they had managed to become something else, something better.

"Not looking for a shag – and if I was I wouldn't go looking for a kid." The man told him tersely. His voice did a good job of hiding what he felt – but Ianto could read people better than that.

"I'm good. In fact, I'm fantastic." Ianto said with all the cockiness of a teenager, but even he knew it was just bravado.

"Yeah right – what are you, fifteen?" The man said; his tone sardonic.

"Do you want me to be?" Ianto asked, "I can be anything you want, for a price."

"Still not interested. How old are you anyway? Shouldn't you be at home with mummy tucked up in bed?" he said, his voice mocking and acrid.

Ianto glared at him, finally realising it was a waste of time, he wasn't going to give him any cash. "Relax – I'm sixteen."

"Right. Of course you are." Came the disbelieving reply.

Ianto reached into his pocked and pulled out an identity card. It wasn't much but it was all he had. He had applied for it after the first time a guy knifed him. He wanted them to be able to know is name if they found if his body, he did not want to become one of the nameless fallen. "Look here; it says I was born in 1992. That makes me sixteen, as of seven months ago."

"OK. So you're legal – just. Still, haven't you got anywhere else to go?"

"Yeah, you're right, I sell my body on the streets for kicks. No, I have no where else to go. This is the only thing I can do that pays the rent. Anyway, I could ask you the same question. What's a guy like you doing in a place like this?" Ianto asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Clever." The stranger retorted dryly. The all of a sudden he became a bit more formal, more reserved and a little awkward although he still tried to project an air of confident and charm. "Look – you haven't seen anything… unusual… have you?"

Ianto sighed heavily. "Twenty for a handjob, fifty for a blowjob, a hundred-"

The man reached inside his coat and pulled out his wallet. Silently he handed Ianto a ten pound note. Looking disbelievingly at him Ianto started to recite his business fees again, only to be given another forty quid.

"Unusual like how?" He asked.

"I dunno… any kind of animal that you don't recognise, a strange mist developing where it shouldn't be, odd coloured liquids… well, you know what I mean." He said.

Ianto nodded. "It's Halloween in two nights mate, you go to do better than that."

The man sighed. "Look, the thing I'm looking for is about three foot tall and its skin has a silvery pigment to it. We believe that when it dies it… evaporates. But all we know is that it's wounded, and the blood is yellowish.

Ianto smiled. "You mean the alien."

The man stood there, and let his jaw hang open.

"I know where it is. In fact – for another fifty I'll show you." Ianto said. The man handed him the cash and Ianto took of around the corner, the man quick on his tail. Soon they came to a small penned area behind some flats and tucked away in the corner was the alien, making small weepy sounds, something between a human cough and a wail but so quietly Ianto could barely hear it. But around this neighbourhood even if someone had heard it there was little probability of them investigating.

"Believe it or not that is the sound of it screaming." The stranger said softly as he bent down and reached into his jean pocket, pulling out a small metallic device which flashed when it came near the creature. Ianto stood there warily as the man worked.

"What are you then? An alien hunter?" he asked, and for the first time this evening he actually sounded like a kid.

"Nope. I'm a doctor. And you are coming with me." He said decisively and Ianto was suddenly scared. He knew that this man didn't want sex, and it was this that worried him because what else did he want from him? Ianto was sure whatever it was he didn't want to give it.

"No way am I going anywhere with you. Besides – that cost extra." Ianto declared bravely, but backed away at the same time.

"How much?" the doctor sighed.

"Two hundred pounds!" Ianto said – doubting that the man would pay that on top of the cash he'd already dealt out, but when he handed Ianto the money there was little Ianto felt he could do but except, never in his whole life had a single client given him so much cash in one go and he knew that after the slow night he really needed the money.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not really giving you a choice." The doctor said as he flicked open his ringing cell phone. "Yeah Jack – I found it. Nearly dead as far as I can tell. Listen, I'll bring this thing to you but I'm gonna have a guest with me, try not to shoot him. Ta."

Now Ianto was really scared – even after all the shit that had happened to him he had never been near a gun. He assumed it was a joke, but assume too much and you can assume yourself to death.

"I'm Owen Harper." Owen said, holding out his hand. Ianto eyed it warily and shook it.

"Ianto." He replied shortly. It wasn't liked Owen didn't already know his full name and date of birth thanks to him showing off earlier.

Owen smiled and pulled him by the hand away from the relative safety of the streets and to a black SUV, the alien in his other arm. Ianto knew he could run for it – but he was kind of curious now so he stayed, and tried to forget the saying about how curiosity contributed to the death of cats; alley cats included.

**TBC - ?**

_**I'm not gonna demand a certain number of comments this time however NO comments – NO fiction. I'm just going to see who volunteers their comments! I really love comments though. So thank you to everyone who commented last chapter. Updated for you!**_


	3. Torchwood

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Suzie Costello, Toshiko Sato, Ianto/Jack eventually

AN/ This part is lighter, but throughout the series there will be dark patches a lighter patches like this one. Please comment!

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Two – Torchwood

Jack Harkness was sex on legs.

Ianto was sure of it. It had taken a while to get past the shock of being dragged away by Owen, finding out that an invisible lift existed on the Rahl Dahl Plas in the middle of Cardiff and then taken into a Top Secret facility that was underground and had it's own Pterodactyl… it was like a young boy's dream; the kind of dreams Ianto had left behind the day Cameron had snuck into his room. But even more surprising than all this special effects stuff was Captain Jack Harkness. A man with movie star good looks, bright blue eyes, thick dark hair, a healthy glow to his skin and a fit figure outlined by a blue longcoat from the 1940s. He was like a gay man's/straight woman's wet dream – and he was standing in front of Ianto Jones!

Ianto couldn't be positive but it was his highly trained opinion that the Captain was the sexiest man in the world, in the universe. Of course, it was possible (not likely) that he was wrong, maybe Captain Harkness was only the second sexiest man in the universe.

But right now, Jack was yelling at Owen, and Ianto was standing alone, a little bit scared but totally awed. He felt so small, insignificant in this almost magical place. To his right was a bunch of expensive looking computers with a small Japanese girl (who Owen had called Tosh) sitting at her desk, glasses on her face as she pretended to be interested in the numbers flashing across her screen, but Ianto could tell she was listening avidly. Close to her stood a tall thin woman with thick dark curly hair (Suzie – according to Jack), she seemed almost amused but pretty scary as well.

"No! No, Owen. I can't believe you would bring a child here, let alone a-" Jack floundered, looking for a suitable word.

"Rent boy? Prostitute? Whore? Hustler? Night walker? Street walker?" Suzie suggested, hiding a smile from her boss who turned his glare towards her.

"You," he said, pointing at her, "are not helping."

"Oh come on, Jack. You've got to admit. It's a little funny." Suzie protested.

"No, it's not. Just… Just make him a drink and send him on his way. Now, Owen!" Jack said, a warning hidden in his voice. Owen rolled his eyes and motioned for Ianto to follow him over to an expensive coffee machine.

Owen didn't talk to him while he poured the coffee, adding sugar from a separate container instead of the sugar bag that was next to the coffee machine. Inato suspected something was special about the contents, but didn't really imagine he had much of a choice in drinking it so he enjoyed the warmth radiating from mug and slowly drank it, all the while watched by Owen. When he had finished Owen began talking.

"What will you do when you leave here?" he asked, sitting opposite Ianto on a worn red sofa that seemed to Ianto the most comfortable sofa in the whole world.

Ianto shrugged defensively. "Go home. I have enough money for tonight. I'll go back on the street tomorrow and try and earn some more but I doubt anyone much will be around. Too close to Halloween."

Owen nodded. "I wish you'd find another career path." He said, and he sounded like he meant it. Ianto wanted to believe that Owen meant it – even if it was just for a few hours before the cold hard reality hit him again.

"I have no education, no family, no friends. I have no hope of getting a legitimate job. Besides, this is tax free." Owen smiled slightly.

"Do you feel tired?" He asked suddenly. Ianto frowned but he assumed this must have something to do with the mystery sugar he had put in his coffee.

"Mate, I just had a coffee. Why would I feel tired?" He said, not wanting to ruin the illusion that rested for the moment that Owen had Ianto's best intentions in mind when actually he was drugging him as part of his (really fucking hot) boss's orders.

"You don't feel tired – not at all?" Owen asked, hope, fear, and confusion evident in his voice and suddenly Ianto was scared that maybe this drug was supposed to kill him… he may have nothing to live for but that didn't mean he wanted to die.

"Why – is what you gave me not working? What does that mean? Am I gonna die?" Ianto asked and Owen's cheeks turned red with shame. This was still a kid he was talking to – a freakily smart kid, but still a child even after everything he had been through. And Owen understood about rough childhoods – yes he had had his mum but as a kid living in London that hadn't meant much to him. She'd go out all night – sometimes not returning for days and if she came back with a bloke it would be Owen on the streets until she got bored of the guy or he got bored of her. Luckily Owen had had his dad until he was twelve years old to turn to and he had made sure that Owen had a safe place to stay, that he kept up with school work, that he made time to have friends. In the end – even though Owen's dad had pissed off to America with his new wife and their devil-spawn, these things had counted and had made the difference between Owen and Ianto.

"No, no. You aren't going to die. If anything, it's the opposite. The drug we… the drug I gave you is called Retcon. It's a compound that erases memories… but it doesn't work on a small percentage of the population. And it seems you won the jackpot – congratulations, Ianto Jones, you won your memories." Owen told the boy softly and was pleased when Ianto's eyes widened and he looked relieved and a little happy.

"So, you aren't going to kill me?" He asked, still feeling wary and apprehensive.

"Not today, kid." Owen agreed, ruffling Ianto's hair which made the teen scowl at him and run his hands ineffectively though the brown mass – trying to calm it but a combination of the wind and rain had left it sticking up at odd ends.

"What… What's gonna happen to me, then?" He asked, looking up at Owen like he was his big brother, like he was both scared and excited.

Owen could only look back. He had no answers for the kid. But ten minutes later he was in the Conference room asking the very same question.

"What's going to happen to him, then?"

"It may not be up to us." Suzie butted in as Jack opened his mouth. He turned to her, shaking his head.

"No way. No. It's not right. We are not letting Torchwood One get hold of a sixteen year old kid!"

"Jack – that's the way it's done. They have better research facilities and a whole division working on the problematic small percentage of people who are immune to Retcon. They can help him. We can't." Suzie argued passionately.

"I'm not suggesting that we help him – the last thing we need is a kid on our tails." Jack said moodily. "But what Torchwood One will do to him – that's cruel."

"They'll train him up – give him a job, give him a purpose. And all they'll demand in return is a few brain scans and his participation in a few drug trials. It's hardly any need to call the NSPCC!" Suzie said derisively and Jack glared in her direction.

"No." Jack said, and his tone decreed 'no arguments'.

It was Toshiko who finally spoke and convinced them all that this was the only choice. In her quiet beautiful voice she asked, "but what else can you do Jack? Do you plan to jut let him return to the streets?"

Jack gritted his teeth. "Fine! But I'm going on record as being against this idea." He warned them all.

"Maybe it's better this way." Owen said into the empty room after they had all left. He was staring at Ianto's small form by the water, so thin and gaunt and world wise. At least this way he had a chance – if he stayed on the streets any longer he was likely to end up on the wrong end of a dirty needle.

XoXoX

OMG! Thank you guys so much for your comments last chapter! You were all so lovely and encouraging. So I hope you comment again because I do love your comments and I have the next two chapters planned out so there will be at least five chapters probably more – if you want them. I love you guys!

Anyway – I hope you liked this chapter. I dunno if it's too much of a let down with no Jack/Ianto-ness but I'm saving it for later because I honestly don't think Jack would look at a sixteen year old no matter how liberal he may be sexually. I wanted to establish the Owen-Ianto bond as brotherly with Owen being like a guardian angel type, more like a fallen angel. Hope I did ok!

PS. I hope all people from the UK know this but if you are not from the UK or do not know this for some reason then the NSPCC stands for; National Society for Protection against Cruelty to Children.

Comment please.


	4. Normal

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Suzie Costello, Toshiko Sato, Yvonne Hartman, Lisa Hallet, OCs, Lisa/Ianto, Ianto/Jack eventually

AN/ This part is lighter, but throughout the series there will be dark patches a lighter patches like this one. Please comment!

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Four – Normal

There was one thing Ianto knew well and that was that normal was relative

For the next five years Ianto Jones lived in a small London apartment with smart polished furbishing and all the high tech accessories such as a high-definition TV with a twenty-inch scream, surround sound and satellite, and an expensive Italian brand coffee machine that produced coffee to make you orgasm. Ianto soon learnt that if someone put you in a gilded cage – you didn't run away. Not even in his wildest dreams on the street or living at home with his mam did he ever envision such luxury. And all Torchwood One demanded in return was a series of extensive physicals every three months or whenever they made a break through with the special compound in the amnesia pill B67. It really wasn't that bad – and after a while Ianto got used to the splitting headaches and the puking after each drug trial they inflicted on him. It became normal.

Due to the nature of how he had come to Torchwood One (a street hustler who had found out about aliens and was immune to Retcon) Ianto wasn't trusted a great deal and had no great status within the Torchwood Tower, and due to the 'side effects' od the drug trials he wasn't eligible for field work so they put him down in Archives with the job description of 'Junior Researcher' believing him incapable of discovering anything valuable or potentially dangerous. But Ianto soaked up the information like a sponge and after only eight months he knew more about the history and the facts behind the fiction of Torchwood than even Yvonne Hartman and possible Jack Harkness!

Jack Harkness. There was hardly a day that went by that Jack's name was far from Ianto's mind. There was surprisingly little about Torchwood Three or Jack Harkness in the Tower's archives, scattered field reports, brief meetings recorded, a basic personal history outline… Ianto knew that out of the four bases Cardiff was considered the renegade base, nicknamed the Torchwood Dungeon with the Scottish office being the Torchwood Homeland and Four having no nickname and an unbelievable stack of information about them – they were a bunch of laboratories scattered around the British Isles on various Islands with a HQ in America. They even carried out assassinations.

What Ianto knew about Jack could be written on the back of a postage stamp, he had no idea the man's age, marital status (although looking at Tosh, Owen, and Suzie's files and discovering they were all single with no serious attachment – he seriously doubted that Jack was married). One thing Ianto did know about Jack was that he was deeply attracted to the man and wished more than almost anything that Jack felt the same way. Not even Ianto's growing love for Lisa Hallet – a young research assistant in the science department – dulled dreams of waking up in Jack Harkness's arms although eventually Ianto would be able to put them down to childish fantasies and soon he begun to dream of a wedding to Lisa followed by children. This became the normal.

During Ianto's first few months at the Tower he received various calls, letters, and IMs from Owen asking how he was, if Torchwood were looking after him and if he was happy where he was, and even a few joke comments about paying him back that three hundred quid Owen gave him. Well, Ianto assumed they were jokes. Eventually Owen's calls faded away and they exchanged token emails at Christmas, with Ianto occasionally lying through his teeth when he assured his sort-of-friend that he was doing fine, happy and healthy. Only once did Ianto run into Captain Jack Harkness.

It was on the eve of his engagement party. Jack and Archie from Scotland and Sarah Rogers from Torchwood Four had all been called about the Ghost Shift. The meeting ended rather abruptly only twenty minutes into the meeting when Sarah stormed out, stating that Torchwood Four wanted nothing to do with Yvonne's insane plans. After that no one heard from Torchwood Four – even the scouts were sent back Retconned or unable to tell HQ anything of use. Jack stayed, trying desperately to convince Yvonne to change her mind – this was when Ianto had to enter and hand over some information Yvonne had asked for from the Archives. She smiled sweetly enough – and it kind of creeped Ianto out. Jack gave him a double take, frowning in his direction as his eyes travelled up and down Ianto's body which like most Torchwood employees was encased in a smart well fitting suit, a yellow band on his wrist announcing that he was part of the retcon drug trials. Ianto was surprised and pleased to see a flash of lust enter Jack's eyes – after all Ianto wasn't an ugly twenty-one year old, Lisa was always telling him how gorgeous he was and while he didn't quite believe her he figured he must be doing something right to attract such a beautiful woman.

"Thank you, Ianto." Yvonne said as she reached out a perfectly manicured hand to grab the file. Ianto watched as recognition entered into Jack's face and a stone wall collapsed making his expression unreadable.

But it had been enough for Ianto to know that Jack had felt lust for him.

Less than a month later, with Torchwood Cardiff cutting off all ties to London and only Archie up in Scotland on Yvonne's side, the Battle of Canary Warf began and ended. Ianto – along with half a dozen others – survive. SO few out of the hundreds that had worked for Torchwood London. Even Lisa fell in battle – her corpse lay in a conversion until burning along with the rest of the building. It had taken Christopher – another survivor from the Alien Weaponry division – to drag him away.

No one stuck around long enough to exchange names, all realising what this could potentially mean – not knowing that they were essentially alone now that The Doctor had 'saved the day'. They scattered into the wind like the ashes of the Torchwood employees. Ianto set off in the direction of Cardiff, tears in his eyes and bruises on his heart. He knew that 'normal' had been destroyed.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

Please pretty please comment! Please!!


	5. Home Bittersweet Home

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Ianto/Jack (finally!)

AN/ This part is darker. As I warned many of you.

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Two – Home Bitttersweet Home

"I thought you were dead."

Ianto Jones had finally made it back to Cardiff, back home to where everything had begun, although technically he had been conceived in Bristol at a rave his seventeen year old mother had been attended, and born in his grandmother's house in Bangor, but Cardiff was both his home and his Hell.

With the events of the Battle of Canary Warf still fresh in his mind Ianto decided it would be better for him to lay low for a bit. So he ransacked the savings account of his bank; his 'wedding fund' (after all he wouldn't be needing it anymore), and booked three months work of nights in a three star hotel not too far from the Millennium Centre.

During this time Ianto's accent grew back on him, it had been dulled by five years spent in London. He slept most of the day, when he was awake he took long walks – he even ventured past his old house, only to find some teenager with a loud mouth and a baby was living there – no trace of Nesta Jones or the son she had kicked to the street. He recuperated, tried to figure out how to say goodbye to Lisa, goodbye to normal and a future. Eventually, when he could say her name out loud, and use the past tense to describe her, without breaking down he figured he was ready. So, he dressed in his favourite 'rent boy' jeans, a white shirt and a leather jacket and walked right up to Torchwood Three and stood directly on the invisible lift so they couldn't hope to ignore him. Jack must have seen him because less than ten minutes later Captain Jack Harkness – not looking a day older than the first time they had met – stood over him.

"You!" Jack said, making it sound like an accusation. "I thought you were dead." And Ianto couldn't tell how he felt about the news that Ianto was one of the survivors.

"I want a job." Ianto said, boldly and honestly.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "No."

"What?" Ianto said, getting up from where he had been sitting. He had thought that it would take longer to get someone to see him so he had made himself comfortable. "Why not?"

"We don't have any vacancies. Leave." Jack said, his voice hard.

"Please – I'll do anything. Admin… receptionist… cleaner!" Ianto begged. He still didn't have any qualifications, any records after leaving school aged fourteen and it had suited Torchwood One's purposes to let him fall off the grid. It meant if anything went wrong and his life was lost there was no need for any cover ups. It also meant that while Torchwood One had been operational Ianto hadn't had any choice but to be absolutely faithful and dedicated; he had literally owed them his life. But now they were gone and all Ianto had left was a little bit of cash and his life.

"I'm sorry but we aren't looking for another employee." Jack said and started to walk away, desperate Ianto ran after him.

"Please! God – there must be something!" He said.

Jack carried on walking purposefully. "Nothing for a man of your… background." He answered, pausing significantly.

Ianto frowned. "You mean because I was a hooker?" he asked, his voice carrying so that everybody near by heard him, a few stopping and giving him filthy looks, one old man sizing him up with a lustful look and a mother steering her child away. Jack stopped and looked at him. "Or because I was with Torchwood London?" Ianto guessed correctly, and Jack started walking off again, turning a corner sharply but never losing Ianto who was hot on his tail.

With an alleyway up ahead Ianto sped up and once they were safely away from any other people he used all his strength and slammed an unsuspecting Jack into the wall, placing his own body flush against Jack's. Jack didn't struggle.

"I can't believe this! You can't retcon me because the bloody stuff doesn't work. You can't make me not believe in you or in aliens and secret non-government operations. You can't take away the images of everyone I know dying – or make me forget the pain of losing someone I loved… let alone that fact that you sent me there knowing full well what they would do to me as a person resilient to Retcon! They put me through numerous drug trials, each one leaving me sick for days afterwards, puking until all I could throw up was blood and stomach acid. And they stood by and watched and measured and hummed. They almost found it – did you know that? They almost figured out how to make me forget but unfortunately the side effects included a coma that left three out of eighteen test subjects brain dead after only twenty-three minutes, half of what was left over suffered blood clots or heart failure within three days and the rest of us just had to put up with peeing blood and the blinding headaches they refused to treat in case it messed with their precious results! I had to have my kidney replaced a week later or I'd have died. I was nineteen years old Jack – and it was my first Christmas with Lisa and I spent it inside Torchwood believing I was dying. You did that to me – you! And now everything I loved has burnt to the ground including my twenty-five year old fiancée and you stand there and say that you can't offer me a simple position as a fucking cleaner at your precious base? Are you fucking kidding me!" Ianto Jones exploded.

Jack Harkness watched it all – listened to it – and knew he couldn't answer any of the hidden questions in the tirade. But he also knew that he couldn't trust a Torchwood One employee – not after what had happened with Ellen Meyers twenty years ago. It had been an ugly way to end the lives of three people. And now with what was going on with Suzie… So instead of giving Ianto what he needed, he just gave the man what he wanted. He would have to be a fool not to realise – even without Owen's oh-so-helpful remarks – that Ianto had a crush on him and had since he was sixteen. But never before had Jack been in a position were he too felt sufficient lust and had the opportunity to take advantage of it. Here – now – in this dirty alley that reminded Jack of being fifteen and horny with nowhere else to go – with Ianto's body pressed up against him and his breath coming faster from anger…

Jack leaned closer and took Ianto's mouth, not taking no for an answer as he plundered it's depths and he flipped them around so that Ianto was the one being pushed into the wall. He could tell even now that Ianto was talented.

Jack dragged a dazed looking Ianto Jones back to his hotel where he proceeded to teach Ianto everything (most things) that he knew, fucking him into the mattress until the early hours of the morning when the young man fell asleep from exhaustion, a smile on his face.

Looking at him – really looking at him, Jack saw how young Ianto really was and he felt something like guilt shoot through him and disgust for his actions. Silently he untangled himself from Ianto's body and dressed, giving the man one last look before his self-disgust and mistrust won out and he reached into his wallet and placed several notes on Ianto's bedside table, with a note and then went down stairs to talk to the manager. He flashed his Torchwood badge at him and told him he was to refund the money left from Ianto's remaining days at the Hotel and tell him in the morning to find himself different lodgings because they needed the room – immediately.

Once Jack was at the Hub he changed all the pass codes and called up all the hotels and landlords in the vicinity of the Hub and informed them not to let any rooms to Ianto Jones, which had the effect of forcing Ianto to go elsewhere to find somewhere to stay – away from Jack. Sighing Jack opened a bottle of Scotch and drank half of it before he started researching one Mr Ianto Jones, his conscious calling him to at least know the man he was rejecting in more ways than one.

Ianto Jones woke up the next morning with a glow and a smile, looking around for Jack. But all he found was a wad of cash (five hundred bloody pounds) and a few words scribbled on the back of some hotel stationary.

'Why don't you go back to where you belong?'

With the horror and shame of the situation sinking in Ianto heard a loud banging at the door, with the hotel manager shouting through the door "get up, Mr Jones, it's time for you to leave the hotel."

--PLEASE COMMENT--

Please don't be too disappointed - I had planned this chapter for ages and that's why I warned against angst and darkness. I thought it was going to end in this chapter with a happier ending but it seems I want to write more so I left it here.

I guess that means I have another chapter at least to go – if you want it and if you want it please comment people! I am loving reading people's comments so please don't stop and please comment on this chapter. Thank you all.


	6. Back to the Streets

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Ianto/Jack

AN/ Dark again – but there is hope for the future so don't give up on me yet! Thank you for all the lovely comments and support I have been receiving – it really is encouraging and lovely and it is what makes me update so quickly. 

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Six – Back to the Streets

Ianto Jones was not alone.

It seemed that way at first, with him back on the streets whoring himself out to strangers and drunks. In his heart all the healing he had spent those three months doing had been undone with those nine words Jack had carelessly tossed at him after their night together which had been, although Jack wasn't to know this, the only time in Ianto's life that he had slept with a man because he wanted to. And while the five hundred quid Jack oh-so-thoughtfully left him had helped him to put a deposit on a flat in a more… colourful neighbourhood in Cardiff, it had also demeaned their time together assuring that once again Ianto was reminded that he was just a whore peddling his body on the streets. Although technically his 'hunting grounds' weren't restricted to just the streets anymore, he often found customers in seedy clubs and sex clubs, and as long as he didn't make it obvious to the bar staff what he was doing he could make a tidy sum and keep warm while doing it.

It was six months before Ianto ran into anyone from Torchwood – and when he did it was Owen Harper at the Foxtail Club which was just around the corner from where Ianto lived, but almost two miles away from Owen's harbour view flat, if Ianto remembered correctly from the files.

Ianto was in the men's bathroom – some guy pounding in to him and crying 'oh baby, oh baby, yeah, you take it!' and other completely humiliating phrases with Ianto biting hard down on his lip to keep from laughing. Which was when Owen entered the room.

X-X

Owen wasn't looking when he walked in to the mens room – but soon he wished he had taken the time to look as he held up his hands and walked away in shock, trying to erase the image of two men fucking. He waited outside until the heavy looking blond was finished. The rustling of clothes and the sounds of zippers and finally the blond left the bathroom, and Owen took a breath before going back in. When he did – he received an even bigger shock.

Ianto Jones – in the flesh – counting out twenties in the mens room in a seedy club in Cardiff – Owen never thought he would se the day.

Ianto barely spared Owen a look, just tucked his cash away in his tailored trousers as he smoothed his crisp white shirt and shrugged back into the matching suit jacket. Owen grabbed his arm as he went to walk out, soon finding himself against the wall with a fist inches from his face.

"You died!" Owen gasped out. Confusion and recognition flittered across Ianto's face and he backed away, allowing Owen time to breathe and re-group.

"I don't understand. "Ianto admitted, his voice raw.

X-X

He didn't understand. He didn't understand why Owen would think he was dead – surely Jack must have amended the records to show he was still alive? Or had he simply been to evil/ashamed to admit that he had seen Ianto? And he didn't understand why Owen would even care – he seemed extremely upset that Ianto might have been dead…

But then again Ianto's mind was numbed with a mixture of cheep whiskey and some crack that a client had made him snort. Ianto wiped at his nose self-consciously, and blinked losing interest in this conversation and trying to walk away from the painful reminder of a life he might have once lived – if only Jack hadn't rejected him in such an obvious and spiteful manner.

Owen's hand reached out and wrapped its self around Ianto's thin wrist, effectively stopping him in his tracks and forcing him to look the shorter man in the eyes. Owen's own eyes narrowed when he saw that Ianto was high.

"I thought you were dead. I promise, I didn't know you were alive, otherwise I would have… Why didn't you come to us? We would have helped you out, given you a job. Better than fucking men in dirty men's rooms in return for some cheep coke." Owen said, and Ianto, realising the implications of what he said laughed out loud, his head falling back and his arms flying about.

"He didn't tell you then?" Ianto sneered. Owen shook his head, seemingly puzzled. Ianto shrugged and leaned back against the titles, gently sinking to the floor when Owen let go of his wrist. Head in his hands as he wiped at his reddening eyes, tired already even though it was only twelve forty at night, and he still had another three hours before he could justify going home to his empty, desolate flat. "No," Ianto said, almost to himself, "no, why would he?"

"After all." Ianto said, now looking directly at Owen, his eyes unfocused and angry, his voice rising in volume until he yelled the last words; "IT WAS JUST A FUCK!"

X-X

Owen flinched and shook his head, partially in disgust and partially in pity. He didn't understand what Ianto was rambling on about but he knew that he had to get him out of here now. He was in a terrible state and anything could happen to a person like Ianto in this state and no body would miss him. Except Owen.

Owen flipped out his phone and tapped in a digit, selecting Toshiko's name from his phone book and telling her to get to Owen's place in ten minutes; they had a situation on their hands, and no, it wasn't an alien situation. Carefully, Owen lifted Ianto who was barely holding on, and dragged him to his car, flashing his Torchwood badge and telling anyone who interfered that he was a doctor.

Toshiko met him at his flat using the spare key he had lent her in case of an emergency to get in and quickly jolting into action when she saw Ianto. "Is that..?" she asked in an awe stuck, worried voice. They had all believed that he had fallen in the Battle of Canary Warf and even Suzie had felt sorrow at the end of Ianto's life – for what that was worth now that she was gone. Jack had been the only one not to express any emotion in Ianto's passing, busying himself with his work and his search for 'the right kind of doctor'. During the night and the early morning Tosh and Owen took turns watching over him; like parents looking after their sick child. Eventually Toshiko succumbed to sleep and Owen told her to take the sofa as Ianto had the bed, and he made himself comfortable on a chair in his bedroom, soon falling asleep.

Hours later Ianto would wake up and remember none of this. All he would know was that he was warm, and safe, and he was not alone.

X-0-X-0-X

Please comment! It seems like I once again under estimated how many chapters I would take to complete this story. A fair few in me yet! Anyway, hope you like it and remember to comment! xxxx


	7. Friends & Lovers I

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper Ianto/Jack

AN/ Gwen is coming in to the story and I must warn you I don't usually write her very well – and her role in this story is pretty intricate but also pretty sideline too.

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Seven – Friends and Lovers

Ianto Jones was happy.

Ianto woke up feeling like his throat was sandpaper, his head was being used as a drum kit by a heavy metal band and his body had been put through an endurance test by Torchwood One staff. It took him a few moments to realise he was not in his own bed – this one was far too comfortable and clean – and therefore he was not at his own flat. He prayed that he hadn't been raped (again) or tied up and beaten (again), and that if he had he could sneak out of here before alerting his attacker to his current state of awake. Slowly he moved, trying not to groan as his head protested at his actions and his stomach heaved. Instead of making a hasty exit he ran for the nearby bathroom, vomiting messily into the toilet and on the floor. When his stomach was empty and his throat had stopped making retching spasms he looked up and saw that Owen Harper of Torchwood Cardiff stood by the door, not exactly looking pleased.

"You," he said, pointing at Ianto, "are going to clean that up."

Eyes wide Ianto nodded quickly wondering half-heartedly if Owen was the one who had attacked him, but somehow he doubted it; after all he had parted with more than enough money to fuck him and hurt him all those years ago and yet all he had wanted was a bit of information. Ianto went to grab some bleach from the cupboard and suddenly found a hand wrapped around his wrist and felt an odd feeling that this had happened before. But he shook it off.

"I didn't mean now!" Owen explained and half dragged, half carried Ianto back to the bed, getting him settled before giving him a glass of water and two white pills that he assured Ianto would not wipe his memory but would leave him headache free. Ianto shrugged and gulped them down – what did it matter to him after all.

"I bet you're wondering what happened last night then?" Owen said, watching Ianto carefully. The younger man tensed up but nodded. Ianto observed that Owen didn't exactly look his best right now either – he had bags under his eyes, his skin was a tad paler than it had been five/six years ago, and he seemed to have slept in his clothes. "I found you – stumbled across you more like – fucking some guy in the bathroom for some cash. You were high and wasted and started screaming at me about someone not telling me you were alive and it just being a fuck or something. Then you passed out. I called Toshiko and we kept an eye on you – taking turns to watch you during the night, which I know sounds a bit creepy and a bit like stalking but honestly; it's a medical thing. Especially after I bashed your head coming up the stairs. Which you can't really blame me for, mate, you're too long to fit up the stairs properly and the lift broke down."

Ianto let the information soak in before he nodded, deciding that he believed Owen's story. It rang true and certainly sounded like a night in the life of Owen Harper and Ianto Jones!

"Where is she?" Ianto asked, his voice hoarse and dry. He drank some more water.

"Tosh?" Owen questioned and Ianto nodded. "Sent her back to work. Like I told you last night; you should have come to us after Canary Warf fell. We all thought you were dead! If you'd come to us then we'd have given you a job or something."

Ianto shook his head. The pain was starting to fade but his confusion was growing. "I did come to you… To The Captain anyway. I asked him for a job – he turned me down. Told me it was because I was Torchwood One and because I was a whore. Not good enough for a job but good enough to-" Ianto blushed suddenly, something he hadn't done in years, and cut of the sentence. Owen was still in shock about Jack knowing that Ianto was alive and he didn't notice.

"You mean Jack put you back on the street?" Owen asked, enraged.

"Well," Ianto began nervously, "I would exactly say that… I mean… I'm sure he thought I had somewhere else to go…" Ianto defended the man feebly. A voice in the back of his mind whispered that there was no way Jack thought he had any where else to go, he had obviously pushed Ianto back to whoring his body out for cash, and the only reason Ianto was even trying to defend him was because he still fancied him like mad even after all he had done to him. This voice called him a coward and an idiot. Ianto flushed pink under Owen's disbelieving gaze.

"Ianto – don't defend him. Jack has just enough brain cells to realise that everyone you knew died in the Battle. Everyone except us. God he is such a bastard!" Owen raved. He picked up his phone and dialled Tosh's number. "Tosh, love, there has been a change of plans."

X-X At The Hub X-X

"What can I do for you, Toshiko?" Jack asked when Toshiko stormed into Jack's office where Jack and Gwen had been sipping at coffee from a local shop down the road. Despite the fact they had a coffee machine it was rarely used; Jack usually managed to break it, Gwen's coffee tasted like caffeine stew, Owen added sugar to everything and always managed to mix the orders up, and Toshiko refused to be their servant just because she could actually make a decent enough cup of coffee.

Now Toshiko was angry. She rarely ever became angry – usually just being hurt or upset if something went wrong but today she was in a very uncharacteristic rage. She marched right up to Captain bloody Jack bloody Harkness and slapped him sharply across the face using all her might – which unfortunately was only enough to make it hurt and no where near enough to snap his head around and break something.

Oh Gods was she furious.

Gwen gasped in the background and Jack stood up, moving behind the chair as if he was afraid she'd go for the family jewels next. "Hey! What was that for!" He yelled at her. Gwen, who had only been with Torchwood for a few weeks at this point, sat there quietly trying not to draw attention herself.

"I cannot believe you would do this Jack!" She said very, very quietly. Unlike Owen – who yelled and screamed when he was angry – Toshiko's voice became deadly calm and very controlled. Currently more effort was going into speaking English than it was into not physically attacking Jack – which was why he now had a red handprint on his left cheek.

"What? What did I do?" He asked, racking his brains.

"You… YOU!! You, Captain-Jack-fucking-Harkness, you chucked an innocence boy back onto the streets and allowed him to continue his life of prostitution knowing full well he had little chance of reaching his twenty-second birthday if you did so! How dare you, Jack! And how dare you not tell us he was alive! We mourned for him!" Tosh said, and tears started to trickle down her cheek. Jack finally looked guilty but a stronger part of him wanted to defend his actions, however impure their motivations may have been.

"Exactly, you already mourned for him and had put him behind you. I couldn't risk having an ex-Torchwood One employee in my midst, especially when Suzie was so far gone… Not again. So I turned him away. For the team."

Jack received another slap.

"For the team?" Toshiko repeated, her voice breaking. "How could you think that thinking he was dead would be better than knowing he was alive? And as for putting him behind us… you may have put him behind you but me and Owen were always very aware of the fact that we were the one's who sent him there; we sent him to his death! And yes, you can say your conscience is clear because you went on record as being against sending him to Torchwood One but you still sent him back on the streets! That was worse and far more cruel." Tosh said coldly.

"So what do you want me to do about it!" Jack yelled back at her – unable to take the guilt anymore, and watching as Toshiko fell apart was horrifying.

"Go to Owen's and you apologise – to start with!" Toshiko demanded and, glaring, Jack grabbed his coat and exited the Hub taking the SUV to Owen's flat. Back in his office Toshiko wiped at her eyes and took a deep calming breath before sitting down in Jack's chair.

X-X-X

So? What do you think?

Please comment and thank you to everyone who has commented, and thank yourselfs for commenting because that is why I update! For you guys. And thank the bloody postman for not delivering my post or else I wouldn't have updated until tomorrow evening. xxx


	8. Friends & Lovers II

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper Ianto/Jack

AN/ Gwen is coming in to the story and I must warn you I don't usually write her very well – and her role in this story is pretty intricate but also pretty sideline too.

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Eight – Friends and Lovers II

Ianto Jones was shocked.

And he wasn't just shocked, he was surprised and stunned and flabbergasted and gob smacked. A man he never though he would see again – wasn't sure if he even wanted to after their last… 'encounter' – was being escorted into the bedroom by one pissed off looking Owen. Jack came to a stand at the end of Ianto's (well, Owen's technically) bed and just stood there, not speaking and giving Owen pointed looks, in response to which Owen just folded his arm say if to say 'I'm not going anywhere'. The silence lingered on until Ianto had had enough of the tense unpleasant atmosphere (if he wanted an awkward hostile silence he'd go visit his mother – thank you very much!).

"Owen, it's ok." Ianto said, although he really wasn't sure that it was. But years of trying to convince customers that they really were the hottest/sexiest/most powerful person he had ever met had forced him to learn to lie convincingly.

Owen frowned but after giving Jack another glare he turned around and left, reminding Ianto with heavy meaning behind his words that he would be in the kitchen if Ianto needed him.

With Owen gone the silence lingered; but this time it was more comfortable. A time to adjust and prepare for whatever was coming next. Ianto took advantage of this moment to look Jack over. Still the man hadn't aged – not since the day Ianto first met him although if Torchwood One's scarce records were to be believed then Ianto probably shouldn't have been so surprised at this. In fact the only change was – including his coat which seemed to be the same one, certainly the same make – the fact that Jack was now sporting what looked like a very angry slap mark on his left cheek (or it could be two slap marks) and a bruise forming just under his right eye (presumably from where someone had punched him). The bruise was just forming and would look worse in the morning.

Jack laughed nervously. "I guess I look a mess, eh?" He said lamely to fill the silence.

Ianto rolled his eyes – if ever a man was fishing! "Yeah you look like shit – in fact if I look like you when I'm thirty I'd probably take a knife to my wrists." He told the other man sarcastically and he mimed the suicidal slicing of his wrists. Jack's eyes followed the movement and Ianto could see that it had bothered the Captain – developing a conscience, Jack? He though cynically.

"Thirty!" Jack protested mildly. "Well I guess at least you didn't say forty."

"Are you forty?" Ianto asked.

"No."

A pause before Ianto decided to cut the bullshit. "What are you doing here, Captain?" He sighed and moved in the bed, the duvet falling down a bit to reveal that he was naked except a pair of boxers. Ianto snatched up the blanked and glared at the fact that Jack had been staring at his exposed flesh.

"Toshiko made me come. And then when I got here Owen threatened me – told me I was lucky she hadn't gone for my…"

Ianto looked unimpressed but deep down inside he was disappointed. A lie would have been better – kinder. But then he supposed Jack didn't think he deserved that kindness – or maybe his honesty was a sign of respect? Ianto's inner voice snorted at that.

"… Say I have to apologise." Jack said and Ianto realised Jack had been talking but that he had switched off. He was tired, again, ridiculous considering how much he had already slept, but true none the less.

"Would you mean it?" Ianto asked cynically.

"I'm not sure." Jack answered honestly.

"Then don't bother!" Ianto said, getting angry but keeping his voice low so as not to alert Owen to this new development. "I don't want your lies or your false apologies – just get the fuck out and never come near me again. I don't want you in my life and I certainly don't need you." Ianto's head swam at the adrenaline rush that his anger had caused and he moaned, sinking back to the bedspread.

Jack felt a sudden ache of concern and this led to a rush of guilt and realisation. He had done this to Ianto – forgetting he was just a kid and sending him to Torchwood One, then rejecting him (in more than one way) and forcing him back onto the streets. At the time it hadn't even occurred to Jack what would happen to Ianto – yes he had let that note but he had done it just to push the young man away. Jack hadn't been willing to risk letting an ex-Torchwood One employee steel his heart – and Ianto could so easily do that.

Jack found himself at Ianto's bedside and he put a glass of water at the young man's lips. "Drink," he said softly and Ianto complied, but not without giving Jack a strange 'what are you doing' look first.

Jack sighed and sat next to Ianto when he had finished. "I am sorry Ianto, I mean it. I am honestly not just saying that because I am scared Toshiko will castrate me. I'll tell you a little story and then maybe you can find it in yourself to… tolerate me. I won't say forgive because forgiveness takes time and has to be earned, but if you give me a chance I fully intend on sticking around in order to earn your trust and forgiveness." Ianto shifted in the bed allowing Jack more room and giving his permission to hear Jack's story even as a small voice in the back of his head whispered 'pushover'.

"A few… years ago I had a… friend who worked for Torchwood One. We'd been seeing each other for a matter of years on and off, both of our jobs both time consuming and countries apart. She told me she was Rogers' PA and that she spent her whole time getting him files and fielding calls for him so moving to Torchwood Three made sense as a career move as well as wanting to be with me."

"Ellen Meyers? Christopher Rogers' PA in 1984? She was your lover? But she wasn't just his Pa – the archives have her recorded as a spy and an assassin as well as having one of the highest levels of computer training available at the time. She worked on Project Manx." Ianto said, proving his intimate knowledge of Torchwood history.

Jack gave him a wry look. "Correct. Of course I didn't know this at the time. I believed her and I let my heart think for me. But this cost the lives of three people when Project Manx was brought to the Hub and the Manx test subject killed two of my employees, the doctor Mark Vaughn and a field agent Christy Spencer, as well as a civilian; Marcy Hooper. Marcy's death was slow and painful because the virus that the Manx test subject had been infected with reacted to the alien spores that they thought could 'cure the common cold' and changed the virus to something far more deadly. In the end when we had Ellen in the cells Corrine Tally, my remaining employee, ran a full body scan and this revealed that Ellen had a similar strain of the virus, well she was carrying it and the baby… my baby, would be born resistant to all human disease but horribly deformed and after the child was born Ellen's virus would kill her slowly and painfully just like Marcy." Jack turned and looked at Ianto dead in the eyes, the horror of that night fully remembered. "I had to kill the woman I love and my own baby – to preserve the timeline and stop her from the painful death that lay in wait. I burned their remains and lied in the records so the Torchwood One never found out what had happened in case they tried again. I retconned Corrine and gave her a normal life, she got married and had three children, all for whom life long free health care was provided for just in case one of them had inherited the virus somehow. It was the worse night of my life at Torchwood and I have to live with it."

Ianto reached over and kissed Jack, trying to kiss away the pain and replace this sad, horrifying memory with new passion.

They made love and Ianto slept like a baby afterwards. When he woke up Jack was gone and Owen was stood over him again, looking disapproving but pleased that Ianto's health was much improved. When Ianto asked hesitantly where Jack was, Owen replied that Gwen had called about a case and he had returned to work, but he had left Ianto something. Owen had pointed at an envelope and Ianto's heart had gone cold – what if Jack had done the same thing again?

When Owen left the room Ianto summoned the courage to reach across and open the envelope, finding inside a few hundred pounds and anther note. Biting his lip trying not to cry Ianto read the note and visibly brightened.

The words were simple, "this is NOT a payment. I'm simply trying to look after you – buy some new clothes and I'll meet you later. JH x"

X-X

What do you think? I honestly dunno how I feel about this development.

Please comment!


	9. Human Contact

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper Ianto/Jack

AN/ SHORT CHAPTER!

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Nine – Human Contact

It wasn't that Ianto had forgiven Jack.

Jack's story was touching – and horrifying, and Ianto had reacted the only way he knew; with sex. Human contact could be the most expressive experience if you knew how to read it and Ianto could read that Jack truly was sorry in his tenderness, that Jack really wanted his forgiveness in his selfless giving, and that Jack was scared (maybe that he'd lose Ianto or that he was rushing things) and he could tell that through the occasional hesitancy.

No one else - except those who had been with Jack – would have ever believed him anything but a totally confident and in control lover but what the experience taught Ianto most of all was that Jack Harkness was as human as every other man or woman on the Earth and he deserved a second chance, however that did not mean that Ianto had forgiven him yet and although the extra cash had been nice and had allowed Ianto to make up for lost business, it wasn't what Ianto wanted from Jack and he soon made this clear.

After Owen had given Ianto enough privacy to dress, he informed Ianto that since he was feeling so well he could start with the bathroom (where he had thrown up yesterday) and then wash Owen's sheets.

That was when Ianto blushed. He had gotten so used to fucking men anywhere – dirty, clean, a hotel room or a back alley, their bedroom or a club's backroom – that it really hadn't occurred to him that Owen would feel uncomfortable (well; grossed out and pissed off) that Ianto and Jack had had sex in his bed. SO Ianto got to work while Owen left for work. He cleaned the bathroom until it shone, he washed the sheets and any dirty clothes including his own, he did the washing up from Owen's breakfast (a cup of coffee), his dinner last night (takeaway curry), his lunch yesterday (takeaway pizza), and his dinner from the night before that (Ianto didn't really want to guess what it had been but at a push he'd say it had been some kind of Chinese dish). After that he moved on to the living room and hovered and dusted.

When he had finished he realised he was very hungry, and considering it was three pm and he hadn't eaten anything since… he couldn't remember when he had last eaten and looking at Owen's cupboard it looked like the choice was between beer, stale bread, peanut butter, mouldy jam, or Pringles. He poured himself a glass of water and spread the peanut butter on some toast and ate it like that while relaxing in front of the widescreen television and watching talk shows, rolling his eyes at the dramatics of people's lives and how willing they were to sell a scandal for their five seconds of fame.

Owen arrived home at seven pm and brought with him takeaway pizza. Ianto opted for the vegetarian pizza while Owen scoffed down the spicy mega meat feast. Owen didn't mention the cleaning (except to say he was surprised and glad to see it looking so clean in here) but it seemed Ianto's indiscretion with Jack was also left unmentioned so he was pleased; it was like a trade-off – Owen 'forgot' about Jack and Ianto and Ianto had cleaned up.

That night Ianto slept on the pull out sofa and Owen returned to his bed. For the next few weeks they continued to live like this and it began to feel comfortable and 'normal' to Ianto. Owen was sent off on missions at work and Jack would pop over to the flat to spend time with Ianto, and not just having sex (and never again in Owen's bed). They talked; about Lisa about Torchwood One, about Estelle and about whatever mission Jack's team had just completed. They discussed star constellations and their favourite food… Jack tried offering Ianto money once or twice because he knew that since the incident Ianto hadn't been on to the streets again (a fact which pleased all concerned) but each time Ianto refused and Jack eventually stopped offering, however Ianto was not above letting Jack pay for their meals out. He was afraid that someone would come and take this away from him.

-X-X-

I updated but didn't have time to write a full chapter so I give you this. Sorry about no update yesterday I went to sign a lease on a room in Cheltenham for university!! Very excited, me. I found out I'll be sharing with four boys but that doesn't bother me – I just hope I get into that university now!! Xx Please comment and thank you to everyone who had commented on my last chapter.


	10. Family

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, OCs, Ianto/Jack

AN/ Owen is just teaching Ianto a lesson – be nice.

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Ten – Family

Ianto Jones knew the difference between content and happy.

Despite what knowledge of his life experiences might lead you to believe, Ianto could tell between happy or just content. With Lisa he had been content, he had believed he would have a place in her life in which to feel normal and grow to be happy surrounded by children and family (just not his own). On the streets and as a teenager in his mother's house he had been shades of unhappy to suicidal. As a child he had been happy and oblivious. Now once again Ianto had the chance to be happy but he could tell he would only ever be content until he got what he wanted. And living at Owen's and seeing Jack twice/thrice a week wasn't it.

For one he had no money. He had ran out last week after buying Toshiko a Bamboo plant for her thirtieth birthday. The next day – with the realisation that Owen's birthday was just a few weeks away – Ianto had snuck out of the flat intending to find some customers so he would have enough money to last a while. Now he didn't have to worry about having a place to stay and paying rent and Owen brought most of the food (for what that was worth) Ianto could make money last much more, so he'd only need to trick three for four times a month.

Owen found him only half an hour later just as his first customer had arrived. "Fuck off mate!" Owen had yelled from across the street.

The man – in his mid-fifties with a gold ring around his wedding finger and a wallet full of cash and pictures of his five grandchildren – started to squirm. He glared at Ianto asking if Owen was a cop, if Ianto was one too. Ianto tried to stop but in the end the temptation was just too much and he rolled his eyes. Honestly! Did he really think an undercover cop would start shouting for the potential perp to 'fuck off'? What kind of sense did that make – although he guessed if you were nervous enough; as this guy obviously was – then anything would make sense.

"Not a cop mate. A cop will take you in and book you, what I'll do to you is much worse!" Owen threatened. When he reached Ianto he had taken him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him close.

"Possessive boyfriend?" the guy asked Ianto, eyeing up Owen's less than impressive muscles, however Owen was a lot younger than this guy and could easily outrun him and hurt him badly if he wasn't to.

Owen looked offended at the idea and shook Ianto. "This? Think I'd date scum like this? A streetwalker?" Owen spat and Ianto started to get a bit worried. He was pretty sure Owen was acting but to be honest he was being a little too convincing and going a bit too far. "Nah, mate. I'm his pimp!"

Ianto's eyes widened to comical size. The man ignored him though, focusing on Owen. He was now relaxed and took on the stance of a man who thought he was going to get what he wanted very soon. The sole thought running through Ianto's head was 'this cannot end well'.

"What price did he tell you?" Owen asked.

"£150 for a fuck – and I could do whatever else I wanted for £50 on top of that." He man told him, getting out his wallet.

Owen started shaking his head. "No, no, no. Stupid twat told you last months prices. Went up, see. It's £500 for two hours of fucking, trust me he's worth it, and what exactly did you want to do to him extra? I don't care what it is mate – just need to know for business purposes you see." Owen said and Ianto flinched. Saying 'he's worth it' was the same as 'he's worthless'. He would have moved but Owen's hand kept him where he was. Ianto just really wanted to go home right now, curl up in front of the tv with some popcorn and Jack. But Jack never came over on a Wednesday – it was a Jack thing.

Ianto saw the man hesitate before eagerly handing over the five hundred. "Well, if I have two hours then I might as well just tie him up. Gage him – I hate it when they make noises. They are whores after all, I don't care if they get pleasure or pain just that I get pleasure and besides, everything out of his mouth is a lie!" the man chuckled and Ianto's blood ran cold. "Or maybe I do care if he gets pain… I have a beautiful whip… leather, soft and beautiful. Don't even realise it's slicing into you until the blood trickles down. Then use the blood as lubricant, better than that brought stuff."

"Is that all?" Owen asked mildly, but Ianto could tell he was furious and a little scared. His grip on Ianto's neck was like a vice although it didn't hurt and was almost reassuring after hearing that.

"No." the man said and proceeded to list all the things he would do to Ianto's body, things that would make even the most hardcore of masochists think twice.

Owen let go of Ianto to push the man against the wall in a sudden violent burst. Ianto was left shaking, he had been cushioned by the life Owen and Jack and Tosh had provided for him that this was a shock to the system, but it wasn't anything new. He'd serviced customers like that before. He'd just forgotten about it.

Ianto looked up and saw that Owen was speaking very quietly to the man, "if you ever lay a single hand on that boy-".

The rest of what Owen said was lost in the sudden icy wind and Ianto was glad he didn't know what the young doctor had said to make the sadist turn that particular shade of white before he backed away, not even complaining that Owen still had the five hundred in his hands.

Glaring at the cowering Ianto, Owen shoved the cash at him and started home, telling him to follow. Once he arrived Owen made him a hot chocolate (the only thing he could successfully make in the kitchen without burning something or ruining it – except banana and peanut butter sandwiches of course but they didn't have any peanut butter left and the bananas were going black).

"Don't ever do that again." Owen told him sternly when Ianto had stopped shivering.

"I need the cash." Ianto said.

"Then get a fucking job!" Owen yelled.

"I tried!" Ianto glared.

"Try again. After all you'd be fucking the boss now and that makes all the difference doesn't it!" Owen sneered and Ianto turned white. He easily got embarrassed when ever Owen brought up Jack and Ianto's relationship, maybe because it was technically the first actual relationship Ianto had been in and he was very invested in Jack – he cared about the older man very much and enjoyed spending time with him, but he had little idea about how Jack felt about him except about the sex and that he seemed to enjoy being with Ianto.

"That's not the way it is… with me and Jack." Ianto said.

Owen sighed and moved away, hands raking through his hair and falling to his side as he paced in front of the sofa.

"Just please promise me that you won't go out hustling again." Owen's eyes locked with Ianto and when that happened Ianto always found it very hard to lie. In Owen Ianto had found the elder brother he had always longed for. The one who would stop him from doing something stupid. Like becoming a prostitute. Like leaving home after his mother kicked him out – she had been drunk at the time and if Ianto had stayed there was probably every chance that she would have forgotten all about if by morning. But at the time it had seemed like his only choice was to take to the streets.

But here he was presented with another chance. And here was someone who actually gave a fuck about what happened to him. So he did the clever thing and nodded. "OK. I promise."

Owen nodded in return, and giving Ianto one last look he turned to lock the front door again, and wished Ianto a goodnight. Guiltily Ianto noticed that Owen took the key to his room instead of leaving it on the hook; there was trust to be rebuilt but considering everything Ianto didn't think that would be a problem.

In the morning Ianto woke to the smell of fresh pastries. He followed the scent and found a note left by Owen.

_Ianto, you sleepy git_

_Jack called – I'm going out of town for a few days with Jack, Gwen and Tosh. Look after yourself and TAKE CARE OF MY FLAT! If my plants die I'm holding you responsible (do I have any plants?). Do not go out hustling – on pain of death. Leaving you £1000 – should be enough for a few days plus some._

_See you soon,_

_Owen._

_Ps. Feed Tosh's cat and phone the plumber to reschedule will you? I would tell you to call me if anything goes wrong but we're going to the fucking countryside so no signal I'm afraid. Just sheep._

No Owen. No Jack. No Tosh. For at least twenty four hours, probably more.

Ianto tried to go about his day as usual but some how knowing that his friends were not around cast a gloom around the day. He brought some actual food (pasta, vegetables, fresh bread, replacement bananas, tuna, chicken, and jam), and read a newspaper while he sat in a café drinking coffee. Upon returning to the flat Ianto watched some movies (Blood and Chocolate – which he liked but felt like a girl for saying so, and Mysterious Skin which creeped him out thinking about the similarities between him and the dark haired lead character; except he had stopped idolising Cameron after he had destroyed the child Ianto had been, and Ianto had never 'enjoyed' prostituting himself the way this character did).

Thinking about his mam and Cameron it made Ianto want to find out ore about her. He had mentioned it to Jack that he had been past his old house and him mam had moved away – and Jack had looked up Nesta Jones and found her new address for Ianto. He had thanked Jack for his thoughtful gesture but had never looked in the file. Now he found himself unable not resist the temptation.

The file told Ianto all sorts of things he already knew; her name – Agnes 'Nesta' Lorna Jones – her age when she had given birth to Ianto (seventeen) and that she named no father. Her parents (a Catholic mother and a father who'd spent years away from home serving in the Navy and had been in the Falklands just a few years before Ianto's conception) had tried to set up a marriage to make the birth seem more acceptable but Martin Llewellyn had died, poor boy, in a car accident just outside Bangor. A few months later Ianto had been born. Eventually Nesta had moved away and settled in Cardiff, meeting loser after loser including Cameron. But it was her life after Ianto had 'ran away' from home that interested him the most. It said here that Nesta had met a policeman and gotten married and now had a two year old daughter called Heather.

Not sure how Ianto felt about the knowledge that he had a little sister he found her address.

The next thing he knew he was calling a cab and giving the driver his mother's address.

TBC!!

AN/

Um. That was longish… and kinda… um… sorry!

Please comment – thank you.

For those of you who have expressed confusion as to Ianto's age or pointed out that I put Ianto's birthday 'wrong' then I'll point out this is AU and that I messed with canon because I needed Owen and Suzie and Tosh to already be with Torchwood. It's just the way it happened – don't think about it too hard. But Ianto is 22years old in this part. It has been a year (ish) since Canary Warf and I mentioned in that piece that he was twenty-one.

Thank you for all your comments! xxx


	11. Connection

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Child Abuse, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, drug abuse

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, OCs, Ianto/Jack

Title - From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Eleven – Connections

Ianto was more nervous than he'd ever been.

Ianto Jones knocked on the door of his mother's house and looked around while he waited for an answer, half hoping that she was out and half praying that she was in. The property was nice, a good sized garden in a nice suburban area of Cardiff, with a swing-set and a wooden gate to keep the hyperactive Springer Spaniel inside and grass the looked as if he had been mown only last weekend. The door was a dark blue colour with a golden post box and large numbers stating that it was number 26, in fact the house even had its own name 'Linden House'. Unlike Ianto's old home the curtains to the front room where not drawn during the day but open wide to reveal a tidy if a little cluttered living room.

The door swung open and Ianto's heart missed a beat. There before him stood his mother; Mrs Nesta Matthews. She looked, if anything, younger than the angry alcoholic he'd left behind him eight years ago which shouldn't be true but it was. She had a fresh voat of make up covering her skin but it was a natural looking process instead of heavy. Her eyes; a tawny brown colour, were wide open and framed by green and gold eye-shadow and black eyelashes. Her facial features and height were the only things Ianto had really inherited from her looks-wise, as her hair was a glossy chestnut colour.

"Yes? Can I help you?" She asked, not really looking at him so much as glancing before she turned back around to pick up the child who had been tugging at her mother's jeans. Nesta turned around and lifted Heather off the ground and to her side where Heather curled up and stuck her thumb in her mouth, watching Ianto with large blue eyes – the same blue as her grandfather, the same blue as Ianto's.

"I have some news for you." Ianto said quickly before he changed his mind.

"Is this about my husband? Is he ok?" She asked, clearly in a panic.

"No…No, I've never met your husband, Miss Jones." He said, using her maiden name deliberately. She frowned, suddenly focused as her daughter was on Ianto, on his face and his eyes. She paled, suddenly reminded of the son she once lost and invited him in.

Ianto almost left right then, but let himself be guided inside the house and into the sitting room where he sat down on the settee. Heather was put down on the floor where she began to run around, chasing the pet dog. She didn't seem bothered by a stranger in their house, maybe it was because she sensed that Ianto was a good person or that they were related… or maybe it was because she was used to having strange men in the house. Ianto hoped it wasn't the latter, he still remembered his childhood and how often he'd wake up to she some man kissing his mother and getting served breakfast in the kitchen like they were a family instead of strangers.

"Can you please tell me… please tell me your name?" Nesta asked, leaning forward in her chair as if she had fierce hopes.

Ianto looked into her eyes and decided to go through with this. No matter what happened at least he wouldn't have any 'what if's' going through him head. "Ianto Jones. But I think you already knew that." He said quietly, watching the way she closed her eyes as a single tear fell down her face. A gasp caught in her throat as she brought a hand up to wipe the tear and re-opened her eyes with an awkward but sincere smile.

"My baby." She breathed, and pulled him into a hug, like she used to on her sober days when they had spent rainy afternoon's alone watching movies and eating popcorn and drinking coke. She crawled over his lap next to him and buried her face in his neck and she sobbed and held on. Amazed and awed at this reaction Ianto held her gently, waiting until she had finished.

"I looked for you!" She claimed. "I even called the police, but they said that since you had ran away and left no trail there wasn't much they could do. But I called everyone we knew, took your photo to all the bus stations and train stations in the city and tried to find you…" She took a deep breath and moved away a bit to give them both some space. "Where were you?"

Ianto shrugged. "Spent a few years living on the streets. Met some people who gave me a job in London when I was sixteen. I only came back to Cardiff about a year ago." He skipped over the details. He was just glad – if not surprised – that things were going so well.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "You were so close… London you say? What kind of job? Why did you come back? Why did you wait so long to come home? Why did you leave in the first place?" She asked, clearly still upset.

Iantos' eyes flashed angrily. "I left because you told me too!"

"I was drunk." She tried to excuse herself feedbly.

"I know. But I was fourteen and I hated everything. I just wanted you to be my mother instead of an alcoholic mess with awful taste in men. At the time leaving seemed like the only choice. I soon regretted it." He said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I went two weeks without a drink just looking for you. When I realised it had been that long I booked myself in for an AA meeting and I've been sober for six and a half years, I slipped after mam died, but Liam helped me through that. He's my husband."

Ianto nodded. He knew; from the file. "Are you happy, mam?" He asked.

She looked confused. "Yes, yes I am. But what about you? I mean, you spent years on the streets and now? Where are you living?"

"With a friend. But he's out of town today. Owen, that's who I'm living with, is a Doctor and he and my boyfriend and a few others are camping on a research trip. They run a Tourist Information office in Cardiff near the Millennium Centre." Ianto said. He hoped he gave the impression that he didn't care what his mother thought of him having a boyfriend but deep down he still longed for her approval.

To her credit her only reaction was a slight narrowing of her eyes. "And you, what do you do for a living?" She asked and Ianto found it almost ironic how motherly she sounded.

"I'm… in-between jobs. My job in London came to an end after the place kind of… well, it's hard to explain. But I'm working on it and Owen never demands any money for rent or food."

"Why did you come back now, Ianto? Not that I'm complaining, I've thought about you every day."

He shrugged. "Jack – my boyfriend, he found out your address for me and gave it to me. That was a few months ago. I didn't think to use it until today… I think I was scared. Scared that maybe you meant it after all."

"Oh no, baby! No." Nesta said and took her son into her arms again.

When he left, after having been told that the dog's name was Sam like his imaginary dog he's had when he had been little. His mam asked him if he was coming back – to which he hesitated. But then heather came up to him and gave him a big hug and he promised his mam he'd call her.

Xxx

Bet you weren't expecting that! But I wanted Nesta in Ianto's life.


	12. Break Me

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, character death, did I mention ANGST?

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Ianto/Jack, surprise pairing(s).

AN/I'm feeling very down, very sad and lonely and depressed at the moment  so expect lots of angst and nasty surprises, besides I think you've all had too much fluffy goodness! Heehee. And I'm really sorry for doing this to you guys! I hope you one day forgive me. XO _Please comment!_

Title - From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Twelve – Break Me

Ianto Jones was heading for heartbreak – and he didn't even realise it until it was too late.

After the visit with his mam that went surprisingly well, Ianto took a really long walk home and eventually returned to Owen's apartment. Once there he cooked himself some food but left it in the microwave when he found he had no appetite and found himself yawning despite the fact it wasn't yet eight o'clock. He lay down on the couch and rested, waking up in the early hours of the morning to find Owen had returned. But he hadn't returned the same.

Owen Harper's eyes were haunted, his body was wrecked with exhaustion and blood and mud. His clothes torn and his hands shaking as he tried to flick the switch on the coffee machine. He swore some of the nastier expletives that Ianto had ever heard and put his head in his hands, wiping away a few tears that fell. Ianto got up from the couch and quietly approached the other man, who jumped and started to throw a punch when Ianto put his hand on the doctor's shoulder. Luckily Owen stopped himself as soon as he realised it was Ianto, and fell into the younger man's arms.

"God, Owen? What happened? Are you ok? Is Jack ok?" Ianto asked, worry and fear filling his eyes and his own news about his reunion was forgotten.

Owen shook his head. "_Tosh_." He gasped out, but he couldn't continue. Dry sobs wracked his body as if he couldn't cry anymore. Ianto placed the man carefully on the sofa where he had been sleeping and wrapped the blanket around him, leaving him for a few minutes to go to the kitchen and pour some coffee. He quickly brought it back, warning the doctor that it was hot and not to burn himself. Then he asked what had happened to Toshiko. While he had been in the kitchenette he had tried her cell – but no one had answered.

"She didn't make it." Owen said, and it took a minute for the reality of what Owen was saying to sink in.

"Aliens?" Ianto asked, his voice rough as he bit back tears. He needed to be strong; for Owen. After all Owen had been so strong in the past for Ianto, protecting him from the evils and trying to look after him as best he could even if the result was not the desired. Now it was Ianto's tern; while he couldn't protect Owen from Toshiko's death he could at least help him through it.

Owen's laugh hinged on the edge of hysteria. "Humans." He said. "They butchered her like a lamb to the slaughter and they were going to… eat her. God Yan, her body… what they did to her was so inhuman I couldn't believe it when the police came to arrest them."

Cannibals? In the Welsh countryside? Somehow this was even more disturbing than aliens. Owen was right; it was inhuman.

Ianto held Owen close as the day progressed. Eventually he fell asleep and Ianto tucked him in, placing a glass of water and some painkillers next to him knowing he must have been through a hard time physically as well as emotionally. Ianto wished he had time to cry for Toshiko; the beautiful soul she had been, but he had to find Jack and see how his lover was doing after losing another friend.

He took a cab to the Tourist Information Centre and accessed the Hub using Owen's access codes. No one was there, which was unusual considering the fact that Jack lived in the Hub. He used the invisible lift to get out, but when he reached the surface he saw something which made his heart freeze, a hammer soon crashing down and shattering it into a million pieces. On the Plas Jack stood, wind catching his coat in a dramatic flare as he held a distraught Gwen gently. She had freshly wrapped gunshot wound and seemed to be wearing the same clothes as earlier which was strange as she should have been home between now and then. Jack caressed her face and committed a betrayal Ianto had been sure he would never commit; he kissed Gwen Cooper.

They didn't see him of course, still invisible due to the perception filter. And thankfully the wind destroyed any chance of them hearing his grief wracked sobs as he collapsed to the ground. He did not watch them for long, quickly returning to the Hub and exiting the other way so neither would see him. He found his way back to the Hub with tears running down his face and his heart on his sleeve.

Ianto met Owen in a similar state of heartache and did something stupid. He thrust his tongue inside the other man's mouth and lost himself in a world of heat and anger and lust that he didn't feel for Owen and Owen didn't feel for him. Hours later he crawled out of Owen's bed as the other man lay sleeping and found Owen's secret supply of Retcon before slipping the doctor some in a soluble form.

Only Ianto would remember this night and how much it was killing him.

--xxxx--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--xxxx--

AN/ Told you – I'm hurting so everybody else has to. I can reveal to you that Ianto will be joining Torchwood soon and that Jack will meet Nesta. I can also remind you that things with Gwen are complicated and this is not a Jack/Gwen fiction and never will be. I mean, really! Me? No. Uh uh.

Please, please pretty please comment. Please? Thank you.


	13. Wake

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, M/M, Violence, Slash, AU, character death, did I mention ANGST?

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Ianto/Jack, Jack/Gwen (kind of!)

AN/ Thanks for your support guys!

Title - From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Thirteen – Wake

The next few weeks were a struggle to get through.

Unlike most people who died at Torchwood, Toshiko actually got a funeral to which her family and friends were invited as well as the mysterious Torchwood members who had her actual body back in the Torchwood Vault. Owen sat there stonily as Toshiko's mother talked in her own language and then glared when Jack got up to give a short speech about how 'sweet' and 'dedicated' Toshiko was, how much she would be missed. Ianto watched as Jack returned to his seat and took Gwen's hand in his own, allowing her to lean on him as she sobbed quietly. Ianto did his best to ignore it – he hadn't mentioned this kiss he had witnesses, Owen didn't need that kind of bother when he was mourning the loss of a great friend. And Ianto was only just realising that Owen and Toshiko had been closer than just great friends, and this saddened him even more.

He got a job at Torchwood finally. Jack asked him. He would be effectively taking over Toshiko's duties and when he heard this Ianto almost broke down and cried. But he didn't, not with Jack standing there.

Jack had been very cold towards Ianto in public of late. No soft, gentle touches or lingering glances. His body language had been aloof, as if he was talking to a stranger or an… employee. When they were alone Jack was as passionate with his as he had always been. The mixed signals were giving him a headache but he excused it as grief and ignored the kiss, putting it down to them both missing a friend. After all, according to Owen; Gwen was happy with her live-in-boyfriend Rhys. Besides, Ianto could hardly talk after what he had done with Owen; even if Owen didn't remember Ianto did.

But it still unsettled Ianto that Jack never made any kind of claim on him in front of Gwen, and that he walked around the Hub doing his job just as Owen did, just another employee.

One night, while at the flat Jack owned but didn't live in, lying in Jack's arms for the first time in what seemed like forever – Jack always seemed to be rushing off lately – Ianto found the courage to ask what he really wanted to know.

"I saw you kiss her." Ianto said into the silence, and Jack's hand, which had been stroking Ianto's hair gently, paused.

"What did it mean?" Ianto asked, twisting around in Jack's arms to face his lover. Suddenly his blue eyes seemed very young to Jack who sighed heavily and glanced at the clock which read 11:24pm.

"It's nothing for you to worry about Ianto." Jack answered vaguely.

Ianto frowned – of course he was worried about it! He had caught the man he loved kissing a woman! Let alone the fact that Gwen herself was practically married to Rhys Williams. "But I am worried. Why did you do it, Jack? Do you kiss all your employees that way? Or is she special? Or perhaps she is just one in a long list of women and men you have been sleeping with behind my back. Did I mistake our relationship for something it's not? Am I just still a whore to you, Jack?"

Jack was tense now, angry and Ianto could feel it. Jack dislodged his lover from his body and started dressing. "It's time I was getting back." He told Ianto who raised an eye brow sceptically.

"It's not yet midnight. You have spent the whole night here since T- since you kissed Gwen." Ianto observed. Mostly his questions had just been him thinking out loud, but now he was worried that there may be some credibility to some of them.

Jack gave Ianto a long look before swooping down and kissing the young man on his forehead. "I know you don't understand things at the moment Ianto, and I'd like to say that will go away soon but I'm going to do some things which may hurt you in the next few weeks and I need you to know that I love you – you and no one else in Wales, on Earth even! And you are so much more than a whore Ianto, don't even say the word because it is below you in every way." Jack stared at Ianto. God he really did love the younger man. But right now Jack had to go, for the good of both of them. What Ianto didn't know was that Jack was going to go sit outside Gwen's house for the rest of the night and watch.

"I have to go now," Jack said, giving Ianto one last hard kiss, "Lock up when you are ready and I'll see you at work. And wear the cute suit!"

Jack left Ianto lying their in the bed Ianto had begun to think of as theirs because as far as Ianto knew he and Jack were the only one's who ever slept in it. But for all Jack's proclamations of love, it left Ianto feeling cold and confused and worried for the future.

He curled up in a ball and brought the pillow Jack had been lying on close to his face. Eventually he fell asleep and when he woke it was time to go to work.

X-0-X-0-X

Hi guys. Thanks for you comments and support again. Not many chapters left! I'd say about three or four more to go? Very exciting.


	14. Misery & Company

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Slash, AU.

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Ianto/Jack, Jack/Gwen (kind of!)

AN/ Thanks for your support guys! I know it's been tough – but thanks.

Title - From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Fourteen - Misery & Company

The day could have gone worse, Ianto Jones reflected.

In very few ways, but at least all of his team mates were alive by the end of the day; even if Owen still looked hollow eyed, Jack was still sending him mixed signals, and Gwen was the only one acting like herself which was reason enough for Ianto to spend the day glaring at her and making her inferior coffee (her and Jack).

Jack had arrived in the morning suspiciously at the same time as Gwen, but thankfully he didn't look as if he'd had fabulous, erotic sex all night which meant that after he had left Ianto he hadn't been fucking Gwen. Still, just the same Ianto found himself flicking through the inner Hub CCTV footage and managed to upset himself with the knowledge that Jack had spent all night out – but where? Hardly at Gwen's as she lived with Rhys but who's to say that Jack hadn't got another man or woman on the go?

Soon his mind had been distracted by a Weevil hunt gone wrong that led them to a nest in the sewers near an upper class housing estate. When they had found young they had had a moral dilemma on their hands. Eventually they had all agreed to move the nest to the countryside and that had taken a few hours. In fact, 'day' was an understatement as it was four in the morning of the next day by the time Jack released everyone from work. Ianto and Owen arrived home to see the answer machine beeping incessantly. Ianto gave Owen a look but the older man shrugged as if to say 'who the fuck would be calling me?'.

It was true – Owen had no family that he spoke to, he had just been at work, and he hadn't been on the pull in over a month. The only real friend he'd had had been Tosh…

Ianto bravely pressed the 'play' button and prayed it was just a salesman or someone innocuous. However, the sound of Nesta's voice filled the flat.

"Ianto – baby. It's me, mam. I know it's horrid of me… feel free to say no… but, um, can you… would you like to… I really liked seeing you. The other day. I hope we didn't scare you off – me and Heather. And your emails have been really nice to read. I like having you in my life. So does Heather. Which brings me rough to why I called… would you want to babysit for Heather? Just for a few hours… it's my wedding anniversary and it would give you and Heather a chance to bond. We'd pay you, of course. although now you have a job I don't know what five pounds an hour would mean to you… Look, cariadfab, it's ok to say no. There is a teenager down the street who could do it. I just thought… anyway, call me back, love. You have the number."

Ianto paused as he reached for the bottle of milk, realising Owen had emerged from the sitting room and was now staring pointedly at him.

"My mam." Ianto said awkwardly. "Wanted babysitting… my sister she's only two…" Ianto grabbed the milk and poured it generously into his mug as he did before he went to bed and grabbed the cup finding his way to his fold out sofa and trying not to look in Owen's eyes.

Owen sighed and sat down next to Ianto, throwing an arm casually over the tense younger man's shoulders. "What have you not been telling me, young mister Jones?" He asked in his best 'I'm a doctor – I need to know' voice.

Ianto smiled weakly. "You were mourning… I didn't want to bother you."

Owen rolled his eyes. "Yeah – that's a great reason. Remind me not to ask you to help me come up with a reason why my paperwork hasn't been completed!"

"The pteradon ate it?" Ianto suggested wryly, and Owen let out a small laugh. It was small but it was better than anything else had been lately.

"C'mon, mate. Let's be girls and sit up late and chat about stuff. Boss has given us tomorrow off – unless someone tries to invade all of Wales, we'll be fine."

"Let's be girls?" Ianto repeated, unimpressed. "And what do you mean 'we'll be fine'. Someone always tries to invade Wales. It happens on a weekly basis like they all discussed it between them and came up with a rota. You take the first week of April on a Wednesday, I'll take the next week and the semi-gaseous sentient life form in the corner can take the third week." Ianto bit back dryly. Owen smiled.

"Don't forget the one with tentacles!" He chided jokingly.

"Oh, well he had the last week of March, it won't be his turn again until next year!"

Their banter continued for a while until finally they were both settled and relaxed enough to talk about what was really bothering them.

"I miss her, Ianto." Owen confessed.

Ianto nodded. "Me too."

"And I don't just miss what we had – I mean going out to lunch with her and talking about the latest alien or alien movie and all the flaws in the science or physiology. I also miss what could have been. When I look at my calendar I see her birthday already marked out on next years section and now I think that will never happen. I go to work and I think about how she's not there… I buy the morning pastries, minus her favourite. I think about that crush she had on me – and how I should have given her more than one stupid drunken kiss that I pretended to forget because I thought our friendship was more important that sleeping with her. And it kills me that she never got that – that it wasn't that I didn't fancy her or want her or anything. But she was so important to me I didn't want to screw things up and sleep with her like I did with Suzie. It's not a very flattering comparison but I thought of it before Suzie went psycho and started killed people."

Ianto didn't know what to say to that; so he let the silence drift. Soon enough he felt like it was time for him to spill his guts too. "It was Jack who gave me her address. My mam's. I went to see her while you were… away and it turned out great. I was so sacred – almost left several times."

"Why didn't you wait until either me or Jack could have been there for you?" Owen asked.

Ianto shook his head. "I wanted to do this on my own. At the end of the day she is my family; even if it felt like I was her parent rather than the other way around most of the time."

"And you didn't tell me because of Tosh." Owen said but Ianto could hear the hidden question in it. Why hadn't he told Jack?

"After you fell asleep, I went to see Jack. Find out how he was coping. Turns out he was coping." Ianto said bitterly and wished he had something stronger in him. He repressed the urge to drink though, knowing that he didn't want to end up like his mother had been when he had been younger.

"What does that mean?" Owen asked. He had sort of noticed the change in Jack's behaviour towards Ianto but honestly everything had been a bit of a blur these last month.

"I…" Ianto took a deep breath. "I caught him kissing Gwen out on the Plas. He didn't even bother to try and hide it – and when I asked him about it he just said cryptically that he would do some things that may hurt me in the next few weeks, but he did love me."

"Of course he loves you." Owen soothed as tears gathered in Ianto's eyes. Ianto blinked them away and resolved to make up the bed and Owen left him in piece, not wanting to intrude.

In the morning – well, afternoon, when Owen woke up he crept past Ianto and headed out to the Hub. When he couldn't find a trace of Jack he wondered over to Gwen's flat. He almost knocked on the door when he caught a glance of Gwen laughing with a blonde haired woman and Rhys sat in the corner tutting at them. No Jack – that was for certain. When he went to leave he suddenly caught sight of Jack sitting in an inconspicuous, unmarked blue Ford and ran over to him, getting in without so much as an 'oi you!'.

"Hell Owen. I hoped you brought donuts and coffee." Jack greeted him evenly, not taking his eyes of whatever it was he was looking for.

"What the Hell are you doing! Ianto told me everything – but I though that maybe he misunderstood. And now I find you watching Gwen's house like some pervert!"

Jack sighed. "Alright Owen! Just keep your voice down and I'll tell you. But I don't want Ianto involved with this. Agreed?"

Owen nodded and waited for Jack to give his explanation of what the fuck he was doing.

X-0-X-0-X

OK – cliffhanger! Sorry guys. I didn't want to give away all my secrets just now.

Sorry for any mistakes – as it is very early in the morning when I wrote this. I'll try and correct them later but you know I suck at re-reading my own work! Thanks for all your comments on the last chapter! Xxx

Also, for all you readers out there – you may want to go back and re-read chapters 12 and 13 which were posted wrong. Sorry about that guys! x


	15. Secrets

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Slash, AU.

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Ianto/Jack, Jack/Gwen (kind of!)

AN/ I was going to make you wait a whole two chapters until I wrote why Jack was watching Gwen – but due to the amazing feedback/comments on LJ I have decided to give you it now! Enjoy – I hope you don't think it's too lame.

Title - From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Fifteen – Secrets Aren't Meant to be Kept

Owen and Jack were sat in Jack's car watching the house of Gwen Cooper.

Owen was sure he could think of better things to do with his time off – but this was a favour for a friend in need. Lately Jack had been treating Ianto atrociously (well, when he thought 'lately' he meant on/off for the last six years). But now it was worse because Jack had told the delicate hearted Ianto Jones that he loved him, but continued to give him mixed signals such as kissing said Gwen Cooper. So, on his day off after a mission gone wrong that had him up most of the night, with Ianto keeping him up for the rest of the night, Owen had found Jack and was now waiting ever so patiently for his explanation.

"Hurry the fuck up, Jack! I haven't got forever here; some of us age and die!" Owen bit at his boss.

Jack sent him a scowl and continued to watch the house until the blond woman left and Gwen, peeping out of the door, gave him a thumbs up before poking her head back inside.

"OK." Jack agreed, turning to Owen. "This is your explanation. Shortly after I started my relationship with Ianto I received some… promises from some…. old friends of mine."

"Threats from enemies. It's not surprising Jack, get on with it." Owen de-coded impatiently.

Jack looked a bit put out that his subtly wasn't appreciated but abandoned tact for truth and honesty. "They basically threatened to make sure anyone I care about dies a very slow and painful death. I chose not to put Ianto's life in danger… I tried to keep our relationship a secret but… that didn't work, and wasn't likely to really. So one night Gwen intercepted a threat and she made me tell her what was going on. She offered to help out – and I accepted. Her only stipulation was that Rhys didn't get hurt and that Ianto wasn't to find out. She didn't want him feeling insecure, and as I didn't want him knowing about the threats; it suited me just fine. Of course this… tactic demands certain believability. Such as shows of affection towards Gwen when he are in public, and acting like Ianto is just another employee; except when we are at my loft which for some reason remains a relatively safe place considering they even have the Hub bugged. I love Ianto – I'm trying to keep him safe. And so far it is working – however this means I'm putting Gwen's life in danger so I have to watch and wait for my enemy to show up and only then can I make my move and make sure no one gets hurt because of me."

Owen listened in stunned silence. Eventually he found his voice again and asked, "who is this enemy of yours Jack?"

Jack shook his head. "You haven't heard of them. I used to work for them back in… back when I was in my twenties."

Owen nodded. No one knew much about Jack – Ianto probably knew the most and now apparently Gwen knew the second most. So it wasn't any surprise Jack was being vague with the details. But this time Owen got the feeling it wasn't just because Jack was enigmatic that he was holding back; it was also a case of the less Owen knew the safer it was for him. Owen gulped.

"Look. This is all very well and everything and I admire you and Gwen taking this on… well I admire Gwen for being selfless, you didn't really have a choice. But it's still not right how you treat Ianto – so fuck off on back to your poncy little flat and take Ianto with you. You can pick him up at mine, he's probably still asleep. Sleeps like a teenager, he does. Up all night, in bed all day. Go make sure he feels loved – I'll stay and watch out for Gwen and call you if I see anything out of the ordinary." Owen said. A part of him was having trouble believing he was doing this – sacrificing his own time and safety so Ianto could get some – well, so he could spend quality time with Jack and feel better about himself but Owen wasn't naïve enough to think there wouldn't be a certain amount of 'getting it on' going on.

Jack hesitated but looked longingly at his escape route and at a look from Owen took it, using Owen's car to drive off and find his way back to Ianto.

X-0-X-0-X

OK – so there you are guys. Please comment – as always – and thanks so much for your previous comments! xxx


	16. Belong

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Fandom: TORCHWOOD

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood – if I did I wouldn't be so worried about how I'm going to find money for university!

Genre/warning: Angst, Slash, AU.

Rated: NC-17

Characters/pairings: Ianto Jones, Owen Harper, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Ianto/Jack, Nesta (OFC) Heather (LBGC)

AN/ LBGC – can anyone guess what that means? I'll tell you if someone guesses right – it's not terribly difficult, just evil!  Also; please excuse me because I'm having a slight Torchwood Writers Block (ask me to write Farscape ff or Charmed and I am there – but TW is playing hard to get, so sorry for the delay.)

Title: From the Streets of Cardiff

Chapter Sixteen – Belong

By the time Jack arrived at Owen's apartment Ianto was already awake and had a guest. The scent of coffee filled the hallway outside the flat's doorway and Jack stopped to breathe it in – when ever he smelt coffee he thought of Ianto and thought of how much the young gorgeous man truly meant to him… he was reminded of the first hesitant touch of his chest when Ianto had been trying to use all his skill to impress and please Jack, but hadn't wanted to mess it up. He remembered the sound Ianto made when Jack kissed the hollow just below his neck, the sound of Ianto's laugh when Jack would tickle him accidentally, the sight of Ianto reading; his tongue occasionally poking out to lick his bottom lip before darting back in again… He remembered Ianto's bravery and strength of spirit and he remembered how much he loved him.

He knocked, and waited and Ianto came to the door a smile on his face which turned to confusion when he saw Jack. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing. Can I come in?" Jack asked. Ianto looked behind him and Jack felt insecure all of a sudden; Owen was out (watching Gwen) and he didn't know who else it could be…

Ianto nodded and let the door swing open. Inside it was neat and tidy, as it always was since Ianto had come to live with Owen. Two half empty cups of coffee were placed on coasters on the coffee table, and a woman with dark hair and tawny eyes sat on the settee that Ianto had been asleep on just a few hours ago.

Jack froze. Suddenly all thoughts of what he was about to say to Ianto – tell him, fled as he looked upon such a familiar face. He should have known, should have told Ianto sooner. But he hadn't… that was stupid of him, unforgivable. And now they may all die.

Jack reached behind him and got out his gun and held it at the woman who put on an act of looking shocked and frightened, she even dropped her biscuit to the floor and clutched at the arm of the sofa. Ianto who looked horrified and confused went to stand in front of her, waving his arms at Jack and asking him to drop the gun. But Jack couldn't – wouldn't. The urge to saty alive, stay alert, stay in control was too strong.

"What are you doing Jack!" Ianto asked. "You're pointing a gun at my mother!"

"Your mother?" Jack said, and realisation dawned. He gave the shocked woman another glance and saw the pleading in her eyes. "You are Nesta Jones?" He asked, disbelief running through his voice even as he noticed certain similarities between Ianto and Nesta.

Nesta nodded, not bothering to correct him on the fact she was re-married.

"But the name Ichtaca Xipil… you aren't going to tell me that means nothing to you." Jack challenged and a tear escaped down Nesta's face.

"Please, Lai, put the gun down." Nesta said, using one of Jack's many names. 'Lai' was a name meaning 'man; law' and he had taken it on shortly after joining the Time Agency. Jack put away his gun and watched as Ianto sat down with a thud in the arm chair, shock filling him until he was numb.

"You owe me an explanation." Jack said, pointing at Nesta and going over to sit on the arm rest of the chair Ianto was sitting in. He took his young lover's hand which felt cold and heavy to him.

Nesta nodded. "I owe both of you an explanation." She agreed.

"I was born in 5011 on a small planet called Aria. 6 human population, ruled by the Gervaine Alliance. I was recruited to the Time Agency because of my unique up-bringing. I could blend in well to a variety of situations and I was young; aged fourteen years I was the youngest Time Agent ever. It was Lai who trained me, but on my third mission I was sent to Earth to watch the growth of Torchwood from afar. I was adopted by the people you know as Grandma and Grandpa and soon after I fell pregnant by a local teenager and moved away. I used alcohol to escape to; I was so home sick and I hated Earth but I knew that if I wanted Ianto to survive and be free of the Time Agency then I had to keep him hidden. So I stayed." Nesta said.

"That's why Ianto is immune to the effects of Retcon." Jack realised. Ianto looked up at him confused. "All humans born after 4307 were recorded as being immune to Retcon and so the Time Agency, founded in 4099; set up experiments on how to remove memories. Shortly after I was partnered with Ichtaca I was sent under-cover and when I came out of the other end I had no memory of the two years in-between."

Ianto got up from his chair and moved away from both of them. "So what you are both saying is that you're aliens from the 51st century and members of an organisation called the Time Agency which as far as I can tell has dubious morals." Ianto said.

"We aren't aliens. We are human, just born a bit in the future. I ended up here by accident, your mother was sent here… but if you cut off contact from HQ then you don't know about the others." Jack realised.

"What do you mean?" Nesta asked, but it was to Ianto that Jack explained.

He began his story at the beginning, starting with Jack defecting from the Time Agency after the petition for the return of his memories had been denied in the High O'Ryan Courts. He had drifted through time for a while, steeling and conning and cheating until a blond girl with a union jack on her t-shirt in the middle of a Nazi bombing raid on Germany introduced him to The Doctor; and those two changed his life in so many unimaginable ways. And then they abandoned him and he was alone for a long time after that, even when he managed to find a way back to Earth. He fell in and out of love, found a place at Torchwood, got a team together and after a few dozen years of being in command he met Ianto Jones, who stole his heart. Then the Time Agency found him, and now that was putting all three of their lives at risk.

X-X-X

What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading.


	17. Love Heals

From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Seventeen

Title/Series Info: From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Seventeen

Pairing/characters: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, OC, Gwen/Rhys, Jack/Ianto

Warnings/Genre: Slash, AU, some violence and allusions to child abuse.

Disclaimer: I don't won Torchwood or Jack or Ianto. I do have dibbs on Nesta though!

Summary: (for this chapter) Ianto deals with what has happened and Jack finally gets a chance to talk to his lover alone.

AN/ OMG! Sorry guys. I've had complete writers block recently. It has been like two weeks or something! Sorry. Hope you are all still out there. Thanks.

_**Chapter 17 The Truth Hurts But Love Heals**_

When Jack had told his story Ianto vacated the room. He felt like he had no more left to say to the woman who had raised him – badly – and the man who was his lover but lately had been treating him badly. Yes, now he understood some of Jack's reasons and the man seemed to care about him. But Ianto still didn't know why it mean that he had to be treated the way he had and why Jack hadn't been able to tell him. Had he thought Ianto was untrustworthy?

And as for his mam… well, lying about her date of birth and her childhood hardly seems bigger than planning on marrying a paedophile or abusing your son while drunk, did it? In the grand theme of things this was a misdemeanour for her. But when it came to Jack… Truth be told Ianto wasn't sure what he was holding on for anymore.

For years the sheer image of Captain Jack Harkness had inspired him in times of darkness, this heroic, beautiful man. Even after sending him to Torchwood One where they had experimented on him, victimised him and made him so ill he could barely stand… then losing Lisa and the few friends he had had… and when he had healed he had gone to Jack and basically been treated like a whore and then he had returned to his old life of whoring. Despite of all of this Ianto had harboured a crush on the man that had eventually turned into love. But now Ianto was starting to believe Jack was nothing more than just another flawed individual and he had been deluding himself all this time.

God his head hurt!

Not only was his head pounding with the type of headache that only stress and confusion brought on, but his hands ached from being clutched, his teeth hurt from the fact they were grinding against each other silently, and most off all his heart hurt. With every beat, every breath, if felt like he'd been sucker punched and it had left a bruise, those deep purple kinds that seem to hurt even when no one was pressing against them.

Groaning he curled up on the floor in the bathroom and rested his head in his arms. It wasn't comfortable but it blocked out all the light and made him feel comforted being surrounded by the familiar sounds and smells of his body. The smell of his deodorant, the smell of the fabric conditioner that he had brought after realising that Owen didn't own any, the feel of his clothes against his skin, the cold hard floor beneath him, the sound of his breathing, the sound of his heart echoing in his head, and the smell of pine air freshner.

The sound of Jack's foot steps approaching him.

"Yan." He said, and Ianto could hear the ache and sincerity in his lovers voice.

Ianto unfurled and faced Jack – noticing that the other man looked tired. Of course acting as a 24hr CCTV camera could do that to a man – even a man like Jack. But then again, Ianto felt tired too. Tired in his soul, like this one was worn and torn almost to the pint where it could not be saved. All he really wanted now was to fit… to fit in, to belong.

"Jack," Ianto answered and soon found himself enveloped in Jack's arms like a man in desperation seeking to comfort himself that the object of his desire was still there, still whole, still living.

"I love you," Jack whispered into his neck and kisses the area where his breath had warmed Ianto's skin.

Ianto's eyes closed – God it felt like forever since he had heard those words from anyone. And he knew it was a damn sight longer than forever that he had believed them. He hugged Jack back, tightening the hold as if he was trying to get inside Jack's body (figuratively speaking of course!) and make them one whole person instead of two broken individuals.

"When will we be safe again, Jack?" Ianto asked into Jack's shirt.

A large sigh shook Jack's body and Ianto nestled against Jack's chest. "I don't know, Yan. It seems like we've never been safe. But I'll make it safe for you, Ianto. I owe you that." He said,

Ianto shook his head. "No!" He said fiercely. "You owe us that."

X0X0X0

What do you think? Glad I'm back? Have I lost my spark? Out of character? Anyone?


	18. Unity

Title/Series Info: From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Eighteen

Title/Series Info: From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Eighteen

Pairing/characters: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, OC, Gwen/Rhys, Jack/Ianto

Warnings/Genre: Slash, AU, some violence and allusions to child abuse.

Disclaimer: I don't won Torchwood or Jack or Ianto. I do have dibbs on Nesta though!

Summary: (for this chapter) The team are called in and a plan is formulated. Everyone gets put in their place and misunderstandings are cleared up.

AN/ Again sorry – busy week and I'm really not feeling it – you know the compelling drive to complete and post a chapter. So I wait for inspiration and in a round about way it stuck. Also: Thanks a million to those of you who wished me luck for my A-Level results. I got them on Thursday and I can now tell you that I got high enough grades to get into my choice of uni! So off to Gloucestershire I go! Thanks everyone. 

Chapter Eighteen – Unity

Jack and Ianto eventually surfaced from the bathroom to find Nesta sitting patiently on the sofa with a magazine on her lap. As soon as she heard the boys enter the room she leapt off the couch and pulled her son into a hug whispering 'forgive me, I love you, forgive me' over and over while combing her long fingers through his short, dark hair. He managed to untangle himself and sat next to her on the sofa while Jack went into the kitchen to call Gwen and Owen in. No explanations; he just gave them the address and told them to come armed and alert, but try not to shoot anyone as this was a residential area.

Owen arrived after Gwen who was dressed in blue jeans and a pink sweater which received a dubious look from Jack. She flushed and muttered that she had had to get dressed quickly. 'Why' was a question no one wanted answered. Owen arrived literally seconds afterwards having followed Gwen discreetly in order to notice if anyone was following her… other than him! He had then done a perimeter search and finally arrived at the door, gun in hand. A gun which was quickly put away when he saw Ianto sitting next to a woman who bore a resemblance to him.

"Nesta Jones, I assume?" Owen said, and Gwen spun around to gape unattractively at Ianto and his mother. Jack would have smiled if the situation hadn't been so dire. Instead he barked "team briefing!" at them and this sent them stumbling into position so they were all comfortable and could hear Jack easily.

"Now I know you will all be wondering why Ianto's beautiful mother is here but you probably won't ever find out so my advice is to put aside your curiosity and accept that she may know more than you at this point. Ichtaca and I have come across a situation which all of you know a little about. A threat on the person's life who I love."

Gwen nodded with meaning and Owen winced. Ianto frowned at realising he was probably the last person to know. It didn't exactly imply trust and honesty, did it?! But he put aside his thoughts and turned to Gwen.

"I… thank you, Gwen." He said a little stiffly. She smiled in response though, and said it was okay although Ianto still felt uncomfortable around her even though technically she had been risking her life for the sake of his own.

"These people are intelligent, they are technologically more advance than us even using alien weapons and scanners. If we were to go head to head with them? We would all die. Luckily that is not in their best interest. Their operation here is top secret and depends on discretion and not being discovered by the general population. So we have the advantage." Jack said.

"Right – if you say so, mate." Owen snarked. To be honest, it really didn't sound like they had an advantage. But Jack just gave him one of his 'I'm Jack Harkness and I've got a Secret' grins and Owen rolled his eyes.

"I am the advantage." Nesta/Ichtaca/Ianto's mother spoke up from where she was sat. All eyes turned to her – all except Ianto who was carefully watching Jack and gauging is reactions. "I… I was well acquainted with these people before I had Ianto and I understand them. Jack does too – but they know he is here. Me? They have no idea if I'm even still alive. I wasn't important enough to keep track of and I was intelligent enough to disappear of their radar without raising too many suspicions. Besides, my job basically involved a deep undercover role, so for all I know they could be waiting for me to contact the. Regardless, they will not be expecting me."

Silence and awe greeted her. It looked like they were in for the long haul. Ianto found the phone and ordered in everyone's favourite pizza's before taking a seat and hacking into Torchwood from his laptop and other various Government ops like the FBI and MI5, Gwen reviewed police reports, maps, timelines, and contacted Andy down at the precinct, Jack and Nesta strategized while Owen was sent to visit the armoury and the vault finding any tech that could assist them in taking on these mysterious opponents. He wouldn't leave before having a privet – and semi awkward – talk with Ianto, checking that the younger man was okay and that Jack wasn't acting up, and also that Ianto wasn't mad at Owen for not returning and spilling all he knew about the Jack/Gwen situation. Ianto had assured Owen everything was… as good as it could be, before practically shoving the Doctor out of the door. By the time Owen had returned a plan had been formulated and they were off to get rid of the mysterious enemy and take back their lives.

X-0-X

PS: You'll have to forgive me if I'm vague on the actual bits of making the Time Agents go 'bye-bye's' because I have no plan… just a desperate need to finish this story and give Jack and Ianto a happily ever after.

Please Comment – and thanks to all those who waited patiently (or not so patiently) for me to update. Love you guys!


	19. End

Title/Series Info: From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Eighteen

Title/Series Info: From The Streets of Cardiff Chapter Eighteen

Pairing/characters: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, OC, Gwen/Rhys, Jack/Ianto

Warnings/Genre: Slash, AU, character death.

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or Jack or Ianto or Chad Michael Murray – but I know I wish I did!

Summary: (for this chapter) It's the aftermath and we find out how the big battle went.

Chapter Nineteen: The End of Everything is The Beginning of Nothing

The went into battle a team; Jack and Nesta leading Ianto, Gwen, and Owen and for the first time since Toshiko's demise they felt like a team. They faced an impossible enemy, one that could hide themselves amongst the stars if needs be, ones who could erase their entire existence and still feel good about themselves. They learnt more about each other and their own selves as they executed their risky plan which took eleven hours to complete. Finally when it was all over they left with two wounded agents and a dead leader to report back that Jack Harkness was dead. But they themselves had not come out unscratched.

Jack had died, twice, and been miraculously resurrected each time. Owen had been shot and lost conscious from blood loss although a piece of alien tech that Jack had scrounged off their foes had healed him enough to patch up Gwen's leg and Ianto's arm and side. Nesta was the real casualty though… she didn't make it.

Jack offered to go with him to inform Nesta's husband of her death, but Ianto had shook his head and took a deep breath, trying in a futile attempt to steady his hands. In the end his own shock and sorrow prevented him from driving; so he had asked Owen to drive him down there. He hadn't wanted Jack to see him like that because he realised now that no matter his past; the child abuse, the prostituting himself, the tests and trials of Torchwood One, losing Lisa and finding Jack only to have the mood swings and the closeted life… even with all that Ianto now finally believed that Jack loved him, and he loved him back. It was more than enough for Ianto that Jack would be there for him to come home to.

Gwen became a good friend. Not as close as Toshiko but he found that they shared a sense of humour and both had big hearts. He was also comforted by the knowledge that she was completely in love with Rhys who she intended on marrying as soon as he proposed. In fact she had let him into a secret that she was prepared to propose to him if he hadn't by this time next year. She was not a very patient woman.

Ianto on the other hand had as much patience as Jack – and since Jack was going to live forever his patience was almost infinite. Now they were living together openly, they dined at fabulous restaurants and seedy clubs and intimate cafés never fearing being caught. On the weekends that they were not tied up with Torchwood business Ianto went to his stepfather's house and picked up Heather and took her to the park and all around Cardiff and Wales seeing all the sights and telling her all about how much she was loved by her mummy even though her mummy had left to go to Heaven, and by her daddy, and my her big brother Ianto and by Jack. By the time Heather was six she was sure she was going to marry either Chad Michael Murray or Jack. It was that year that her dad died – shot in the line of duty. The authorities had informed Heather's aunt on her father's side of her brother's death but the woman already had five children and was in the middle of a messy divorce so after much discussion, Ianto asked to take Heather in. One year later Jack and Ianto married – well, they became Civil Partners – and the year after that they took a trip to Italy for a week to celebrate, it was both a first anniversary present for Jack and Ianto and a gift for eight year old Heather who wanted to become an artist and was desperate to become more cultured so Chad Michael Murray would be impressed when he finally realised that he was deeply in love with her, now that Jack was off the market.

Owen didn't do as well as the others though. He had never fully recovered from Toshiko's death and although he occasionally dated and participated in Heather's life as 'Uncle Owen', he never found that thing that made life worth living. He always said that he didn't want to end up life Suzie who had also never found 'it'. She had been desperate to live because she couldn't face the alternative – but she hadn't been desperate to stay alive for a reason. Owen said he too would rather die than live without love or purpose. Secretly Ianto always thought that Owen held on to the hope that when he died he would be reunited with Toshiko again. Of course he would never admit these things especially not when sober.

Owen finally got his wish five years later. An alien who ate fire had set alight a hospital and Owen had been rescuing children when he had fallen victim to smoke inhalation. Ianto didn't care how childish the thought was because it was some what a comfort to think of Owen as being reunited with Toshiko in death. Heather agreed although neither of them ever voiced this opinion to Jack who took Owen's death the hardest because he worried that Owen had let himself die rather than go on living and therefore it was Jack's own fault. Nonsense, of course, but in this even Ianto could not persuade his husband otherwise.

Ianto himself lived longer than he had originally planned on. Transfer – Jack always said. His kiss you heal and since he spent 80 of his awake time kissing Ianto and having sex with him then the energy had transferred into Ianto, keeping his younger and healthy and expanding his life span by another three hundred years. But not even Jack could stop death by the time it came. Heather's great-grandson attended the funeral as with his wife; Gwen's great-granddaughter. Jack cried openly as Ianto's body was entombed at Torchwood HQ and again as the ceremony came to an end. Soon after he left to travel with the Doctor and never returned to that period of time, always remembering Ianto even when he died over a millennia later with Martha at his side.

The end of everything may be the beginning of nothing, but what is nothing but potential; the potential for anything and everything.

X-0-X

Thanks everyone for reading! Thank you for your comments and for your support. THIS IS THE END – I thought it was going to last another chapter but I wrote and this is what came out. I hope it is to your liking. Thank again, everyone, and remember to comment and say goodbye to From the Streets of Cardiff.


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